Flowers From Sin
by psychxdelix
Summary: "Nay. S-I-N. As in conceived, born in, and am currently living happily in." Kinley MacGregor/ Born into a life she did not choose, but accepted. She never really counted on anyone. Sadistic and masochistic in nature, she is a force to be reckoned with. When she falls into their world like a pup fighting to survive, she will have an impact on a particular groups life.(May go up M)
1. Prologue

Birds chirped in the trees, and the wind blew softly in the warm Spring air. The sky blue with few clouds and the sun high up in the sky. Staring down at the world below. Children laughed as they played with their friends and family, sparring young samurai enjoying one anothers company. Parents watching with loving eyes. Babies crying at the soft touch of life. Everything seemed peaceful in this world. And this is where the story begins... In the Capital, Kyoto.

* * *

**_"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."_**

* * *

She glared daggers at him. Waiting for him to make a move. Her hands bound behind her back, along with her legs and rope between her teeth. She seemed like a trapped animal staring into the eyes of the hunter. The moonlight shined into the room behind her, creating an almost halo effect, outlining her form.

"Come now, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just here to watch you till morning. You should rest." He said with a smirk.

She made an almost, animalistic sound resembling a canine's growl. She struggled fruitlessly against the rope binds and bit at the rope in her mouth, no doubt in her mind that she was just creating mark on her skin. She could feel the stinging pain of the rope digging into her skin. She could smell her blood in the air, despite the wound being very small.

"Shhh, I haven't done anything. Say.. Woman, did you know.. tomorrow might be your last day to live?" He grinned.

-earlier that day-

As the Spring day reached it's high peak, Kyoto seemed lively with life and activity. Busy. People hurrying to jobs, others hurrying home to family's, some just lounging about without a care in the world. And in one particular part of Kyoto, it wasn't quite as busy as everywhere else. The people in this part of Kyoto were more on edge and yet still mellow and calm. In no rush to do anything. The streets nearly had anyone walking them. And those who were, were plain and anything eye catching. Well...

Except one...

Her pink hair gave her an otherworldly feel, with it's perfect luscious curls rolling down and wrapping around her slim waist, her eyes light lightning - bright silver nearly white- and framed by long black lashes. Her lips full and her skin lightly tanned by Kyoto's sun. What really made her stick out besides her hair was her choice of clothing. A black silk Cheongsam (Traditional Chinese Dress) with pearls outlining a silver dragon wrapping around her slim waist and torso, starting from the middle of her slightly above average bust. The slits at her sides started from her mid thigh showing a very large amount of skin. Revealing a small dragon tattoo coiling itself around her left thigh; a match to the one on her left arm.

"Look at that... She must be from China.."

"She just has to be... "

"No one in Japan wears those dresses..."

People who saw her pass by stared at her awestruck, and those she noticed staring, she would smile. But while she walked, she walked with purpose.

"Look at this men. A stray cat." A deep voice roared and shook the streets, making her turn around. "She's easy on the eyes. For a stray cat." She showed no signs being called a strayed cat had bothered her. There, before her, stood Kamo Serizawa. "What's a woman like you doing in Kyoto." It was more of a demand than a question. She noted that behind him stood a few men. Some with faces that would agree with Serizawa's antics and others that seemed... against him.

"..." She said nothing.

"Oi! Didn't you hear me- I'm talking to you!" She began to walk away, only for him to grab her by her arm, harshly. "Don't turn your-" He was cut off.

She wheel kicked him in the side of his head, making him release his grip. Then she jumped high in the air and roundhouse kicked him on the opposite side, and stepping on his shoulder as leverage to push herself off and flip a few feet away from him. She had an annoyed look on her face.

Serizawa glared at her as if she was trash, "Grab her!" He ordered the men. He watched as her frame took a more defensive form as she readied herself for a fight. She had her right foot a ways in front of her left and bent her knees, an arm bent into a 90 degree angle and covered her face while the other did the same to her torso. As the men charged at her, she air cartwheeled above them and kicked the closest one in the back, sending him stumbling into the two that were to attack from behind. She landed on her feet then went low to the ground and kicked at one of the mens feet, which made him fall to the ground.

"You all can't handle one girl!?" Serizawa's voice boomed, startling her momentarily forgetting he was present. She turned just in time to see him swing a fan at her.

Her eyes widened and she acted fast, ducking down and letting the fan cut a few of her hair's before she jumped away little ways away. But, she was too caught up to noticed Okita Souji and Hajime Saito behind her.

"Too bad Miss.." Okita mumbled before Saito hit the back of her neck with the butt of his sword, knocking her out. Okita catching her.

-later-

"What were you thinking Serizawa!?" Shouted Hijikata. "That's not what the Roshigumi is all about!"

"She disobeyed and disrespected. She got what she deserved, and she will die tomorrow. She will set the example all of Kyoto can see." Serizawa was adamant about punishing the woman. She had openly disrespected him and his men and he was not going to allow her to live because of such antics.

"You're going to kill her!?" Ryunosuke Ibiki said surprised and horrified. "She's only a woman! You can't-"

"Speak only when spoken to, stray mutt." He growled at the bluenette. That shut Ryunosuke up.

"She needs to be punished. If just let her live after those stunts in the street, we'll be a laughing stock in this Capital."

Serizawa wasn't completely wrong. But killing her? It was a bit far.. So thought Kondou, Hijikata, and Sanan. "Please, reconsider an alternative. If we just recklessly kill civilians, we may lose the public and Lord Aizu may not consider our proposal." Sanan said, with an almost pleading tone.

"What do you propose be the alternative... Sanan-san..." Serizawa said darkly.

The room went silent. They didn't know what to do with a woman, but killing her was wrong!

"I say we just question her in the morning... No ordinary person could have moves like her." Okita said. To be quite honest with himself, he didn't care whether she died or not. But He could tell that Kondou did. And he would do anything for the man that was like a brother to him.. "I mean, afterwards if she still doesn't talk, put her in fights against each of us. and if she loses, the winner gets to decide what happens to her. Sounds fair." Okita said.

"Never thought you'd sound the least bit sane, Souji." Hijikata jibbed.

Okita shrugged, "it was just a thought."

The room went silent again. Okita had a good thought, it wasn't bad. But Serizawa was never rational. Would he really consider that as an alternative? There wasn't a doubt in their minds that he was say something like 'No she dies." Or along those lines.

"Fine... "

"but Serizawa- wait... Did you just..?" Ryunosuke was at a loss for words.

"I said Fine. Let's go with that child's idea. If you all are adamant about keeping her alive. And since it was your idea, boy. You have to watch her till morning and question her, and you fight her. If you lose, you must commit Seppuku." The room was silent, "And if she loses, well... you said it yourself. You chose what happens to her." Serizawa seemed to enjoy the annoyed look on Okita's face but the man in return said nothing. "Good... Now that this is settled, I'm going to retire till tomorrow." With that, he left the common room, with Ryunosuke in tow.

"Tch... I don't see why I have to take care of some woman."

"You'll do fine, Souji." Kondou said. Giving Okita a warm smile.

"Kondou-san..." Okita's eyes widened a bit.

"I'm sure you will win, and you will do the right thing. You're smart like that." Kondou added. Making a small blush cross Okita's cheeks. "Now, you should start watching her. As I was told hat was displayed out in the streets she is quite skilled. We don't know what she is fully capable of so please, make sure she doesn't do anything rash."

Okita, obediently, nodded and got up before leaving. When he reached the room they were keeping her in, shewas there.. waiting for him. Sitting on her legs and her back to the open window.

She glared daggers at him. Waiting for him to make a move. Her hands bound behind her back, along with her legs and rope between her teeth. She seemed like a trapped animal staring into the eyes of the hunter. The moonlight shined into the room behind her, creating an almost halo effect, outlining her form.

"Come now, I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm just here to watch you till morning. You should rest." He said with a smirk.

She made an almost, animalistic sound resembling a canine's growl. She struggled fruitlessly against the rope binds and bit at the rope in her mouth, no doubt in her mind that she was just creating mark on her skin. She could feel the stinging pain of the rope digging into her skin. She could smell her blood in the air, despite the wound being very small.

"Shhh, I haven't done anything. Say.. Woman, did you know.. tomorrow might be your last day to live?" He grinned.

She stopped moving and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah... Although, you get a chance to fight for your life. It's better than what that man wanted to do to you." Okita said as he watched her slowly back up towards the window, as much as she could manage. "He was gonna behead you tomorrow at the front gates for all of Kyoto to see. He was gonna leave your body there to rot." He watched as her eyes showed pure horror and fear before she shut them and reopened them to glare once more. He walked over slowly, closing the door behind him, and a wide grin appeared on his face. "Don't try to scream, or I'll kill you." He removed the rope in her mouth.

Despite not knowing him for long, and despite the playful tone he used. She knew she would be cut down if she did anything like scream for help. "..." She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"ehh? Can't talk or what?"

She looked at the floor and slowly shook her head.

"A mute? Or it hasn't always been that way...?" He asked as he sat in front of her with his legs crossed and her arms too.

She looked up at him with a look that said, 'How do I answer that?'

The look made him laugh. "haha! Sorry forgot!~" He lied, "Well, blink once for the first and twice for the second. Kay?"

She nodded.

"So I ask again.. You a mute or it's hasn't always been that way?"

She blinked twice.

"I see... So then I can't really interrogate you unless I untie you, and that's not gonna happen~ so I guess we're left with the other option." He sighed deeply. "That's a drag but considering what you showed on the street, it might be fun." He grinned at her. "Wanna hear the rules?"

She nodded lightly. Interested in knowing what the terms were, thought she doubted she would ever lose to a samurai.

"We fight tomorrow, assuming in front of the whole Shinsengumi, and if you lose I get to choose what happens to you. And if I lose... I have to commit Seppuku." His eyes drifted close as if he went into deep thought.

_So if i win.. he dies? Is his life really that expendable to them, or do they believe he cane really beat me? _She thought as she stared at him.

* * *

**Sorry it's shitty i know ;-; what do you all think about it though? First time writing for this anime. Please review.**

**~Cheshire**


	2. Koinu

-dream-

_"Lao, watch over her while we're gone." A woman with dark pink hair said._

_"Yes mama..." Said a boy with dark red hair. His eyes a wonderful flaming orange. "I'll make sure she's safe. I won't let any of them find us." The boy looked no older than 15; wrapping an arm around the shoulders of a younger and much smaller child. Her shoulders small and frail as if she would break if her were to put too much pressure._

_"Be good to your brother, okay?" A man said beside the woman. His hair a dark crimson just like the boys. His eyes a breath-taking gold._

_"Yes, papa..." Her voice small and soft. "You'll come back though, right, papa?" She asked._

_The man nodded and knelt down before the young girl, padding her head, "I will come back, safe and sound with mama. And we'll all go eat out again like we always do." He gave her a warm smile. "Behave... This nice family will take good care of you and your brother." He stated._

_"Okay..." She said lightly before blushing at his actions. "You be careful papa!" She said as loud as she could muster before her small body racked with coughs. _

_"Don't push yourself, little sis!" The boy said worriedly. _

_"Shhh... I'll be careful my young child.. You rest and when you get all better, we'll go to that lake you love down by the town." With that said, the man hugged the two children and tears streamed down his face, "I love you both... Please, stay safe." He stood, then began to walk away. The woman did the same to the two before following suit after the man. _

_The young girl, who looked no older than 4, began to cry. _

_"Shhh..." The boy said as he gently picked her up, "Don't cry... Mama and papa will be back.. Don't cry..." The boy said as he also began to feel warm wet tears crawl down his soft and fare cheeks. _

_Suddenly the scene changed into nothing. And a Shriek filled the air._

-reality-

The woman the Roshigumi had capture, the one Okita was in charge of watching,woke up but wasn't completely awake. Her back arched in pain and she felt a burning sensation crawl up her spine. She opened her mouth in a silent scream as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Oi!" Okita woke up to the sudden feeling of fear and stress and his eyes landed on her form. He rushed over in a panic and pinned her shoulders down as she ended up ripping the rope binds. "Oi! Wake up woman!" He shouted as he saw she was out of it. She was not conscious of what was going on. "Hey! Someone get Sanan-san and Inoue-san!" The man shouted as he saw a few members pass.

They all nodded before hurrying off.

Soon after they came back with those they were sent for. Inoue and Sanan ran in and went to Okita and the thrashing woman. "What happened?!" Shouted Sanan asked in a Panic. Inoue took over for Okita as he held down her shoulders while Sanan Held down her hips and looked at her.

"I don't know, the damn woman just started acting like this... She's a mute."

"I figured... Miss..." Sanan said as he tried to keep her from hurting herself.

She thrashed and her silent screams seemed to pierce through the heart of Inoue. "Miss, please wake up... you're safe..." He whispered into her ear, as if cooing a child to sleep. And it must have hit something because the thrashing died down and she seemed to realize she had to wake up. She blinked and looked up at Inoue. "I'm glad you're awake. Gave us quite the scare, Miss..." He said with a soft, almost father-like smile.

"You alright? We still have to fight, woman." Souji grinned.

She glared daggers at him as if telling him 'Shove it.'

-later-

After informing Serizawa of what had occurred that morning, he brushed it off and continued with the fight that the woman would have with Okita. The whole Roshigumi had gathered for the event in the courtyard. Souji stood in the middle, along with the nameless woman.

"You can win Souji!" Heisuke shouted.

"Yeah! You can do it!" Shouted a comrade-in-arms.

Others began to cheer for their comrade, who in turn smirked.

The woman however just seemed as cool as the spring air.

"Ready?" Serizawa asked. "Don't hold back.. make this fight enjoyable. Fight."

The courtyard went silent as the two took their stances. The woman crouched down like a fox ready to strike it's prey. She mumbled something as her eyes narrowed into a threatening glare. She had put her hair up into a ponytail, similar to Heisuke's.

Okita got into his normal stance, the flat part of the blade of his katana sliding along the back of his hand as he elevated it to about eye level, and bending his knees. "I hope you realize that I am not holding back, even if you're a girl." He grinned as he saw her lips pull back on her teeth as if she growled.

In a swift movement she charged at him, almost too fast for people to see, turning into a blur and she jumped into the air, bring her leg down towards his head. He blocked it with the flat part of his blade before swinging towards her. She moved back quickly and stared daggers at him. He ran at her before she could think and swung his blade towards her torso. She jumped back, narrowly escaping the tip of his blade as it cut through her dress and breaking skin. A small thin line of blood was scarcely seen by the onlookers. people cheered.

"Oh look at that, I've seemed to lay a hit on you." Okita grinned.

Serizawa smirked.

She felt a small stinging pain in her abdomen but ignored it. She ran at him again and aimed a kick at his legs.

Okita saw right through her attack and moved away from it, just as scarcely as she dodged his. "You're fast." He mumbled as he then slashed down towards her. aiming at her heart. She moved back and skidded across the floor as she lost her footing. She hit the wall with a hard thud but stayed on her feet, blood slipped from her mouth from the impact.

"Awww~ Koinu got hurt?" He chuckled as others laughed.

The fighting went one for a few more minutes in the similar fashion. She charging at him and him blocking or scarcely dodging as her movements grew sharper and quicker. He attacking with similar speed and she scarcely dodging since she had no sword to block his blade. It was almost like a cat and dog. The cat, with it's blade like claws teasing and toying with the canine. Who in turn grew more agitated by the feline. As he made more hit's, cutting her thighs, forearms and left cheek, she grew irritated and full blown pissed. Which was evident on her face.

"Seems like you're losing, Koinu!~"

She made a silent growl, _Stop calling me a pup! _and ran at him aiming to punch him in the face but he caught it and then before she could counteract, pinned her to the ground.

he held the sharp part of the blade close to her neck, sliding it oh so carefully so a small thin red line appeared; her blood falling down the side of her neck.

"The winner is Souji!" Hijikata shouted, followed by victorious cheers from their comrades, and those who were beaten by the woman the day before.

"Way to go Souji!~"

"Yeah Okita-san!"

Yet all merriment was cut to a halt when the bellowed laughter of Serizawa cut through it like a blade, and silenced all. Okita looked at him but held a firm grip on his sword and the woman beneath him. As his laughter died down, Serizawa looked at Okita with mirth and anger he knew was directed towards the woman. "Hahahaha! Well done, boy. You've done better than I thought. I was almost sure she would kill you before the fight even began!" he let out another bellowed laugh and the men around him gave him variations of looks. From agreeable ones towards him and well... the one's that looked at him like he was a mad man, or a nuisance. "Now, kill her."

Everyone that usually never agreed with Serizawa, eyes widened like saucers. All but Okita's or the Woman beneath looked at the man with cool eyes, leveled. _I die today... Gomen'nasai... Lao... I couldn't keep my promise.. but you wouldn't believe me if I told you someone beat me. _

"Ahhh? what? That's an-"

"That's not what we agreed." Okita cut him off, "The deal was that, If I lose I die. If I win... I get to choose what happens to her. Not YOU." Okita said his next words with an arrogant smirk, "I choose to let her live, within the Roshigumi."

"Souji?" Kondou mumbled.

"She'll be like a page, for me. Just like Ibuki-kun is to you, a mutt. She'll be my pup. So means, no one can kill her without my okay." Okita looked down at the woman beneath him. Her eyes with anger, surprise, and something else that diminished before he could decipher it.

"I have no problem with it... Just as long as you keep her on a tight leash." Serizawa said with a grin.

-Lunchtime-

Okita had chosen to eat with her in his room, to keep an eye on her. She glared at him every chance she got, without him aware -or so she thought- and stared at the food before her.

"You should eat... If you don't those wounds of yours won't heal properly and I won't be able to use you as a sparring partner." He grinned, "And glaring at me will be a challenge." He laughed at the surprised look on her face that came from his words, and watched as she turned away and slowly grabbed the bowl of soup Inoue prepared just for her, to help heal the wounds. He noted the bandages that wrapped around her long caramel legs and forearms, and the small thin bandage that rested on her cheek. Then he noted the disgusted look on her face before she downed the liquid, but the expression changed into one of content. "is it good?" He asked.

She nodded.

He said nothing further as he watched her every now and then as she ate her food, catching her at times looking out the window with a longing gaze. Finally after enough scenarios going through his head he spoke up. "Now that you're no tied up, grab that ink brush and paper over there.."

She hesitantly did as told then moved her tray away to the left of her. She set down the paper and the ink and brush.

"Okay, are you literate?" He asked smirking.

She glared at him and nodded. The glare immediately told him, 'I'm not stupid, asshole.' and he couldn't help but laugh. "Alright..." He said once he was done with his hysterics, "What's your name?" He asked the unanswered question that almost everyone was wondering.

She wrote, '**Mei Shi**' then looked up at him.

"Mei Shi huh? Alright... Mei, Are you really from China?"

She gave him a look.

"Okay okay. Dumb question. Um, what are you doing here in Kyoto, Japan?" He made sure to put emphasis on Japan.

She began to write again, then held out the paper to him, which he took.

It read, '**I came with a few friends, and I was going out to find my katana and kodachi, which I had placed in the capital.**' He looked at her then handed the paper back. "Why here in Japan? And where did you learn to fight like that?" He asked a bit more seriously. He wouldn't admit it to her, but he struggled with her in their fight. Even Hijikata and Saito asked him if he was okay. Now, he knew she had weapons like a Katana and Kodachi. He could only imagine how much more of a struggle she would be with them in her hand.

She wrote again and handed him the paper.

'**Because I can't leave family heirlooms are irreplaceable. In China people know me so if I hid them there, it was only a matter of time before someone figured out where I hid them. And where I learned to fight is frankly none of your business.**' By the time he was finished reading and looked up at her, she was glaring with just much intensity as she did when Serizawa grabbed her. He laughed, "I guess you're right, Koinu." He tried not to laugh as he saw her brow twitch at being called a pup. "Last question. Where's your Kodachi and Katana?"

She grabbed a new sheet of paper and wrote, '**Mifune Blades... A storehouse in town. Can you please retrieve them? I fear that they are no longer are safe in my friend's hands. I can't risk them being stolen. **'

He read it and couldn't help but feel the desperate tone in her unspoken voice. "Hm?... "

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**PLEASE Review~~~~~ **

**~Cheshire**


	3. Who?

"Why should we trust her?" Hijikata asked coldly as his demon-like glare landed upon the pinkette Mei.

"What reason do we have not to trust her?"Okita asked. He was a bit more invested into this than anyone would have expected. Truth be told, he just wanted her as a sparring partner. She was strong. She had spunk. And those two things in a woman, well... That makes an interesting fight. "She fought to survive no? She fought in the streets because Serizawa-san grabbed her, she's got a bruise the size of his hand to prove it. And the fight against me was organized."

He had a point.

"Before anything, she didn't show any signs of being a threat to the Shinsengumi." Okita stated.

_Out of all the time for him to be logical... It had to be now? _Hijikata mentally groaned. Feeling a headache making it's way to his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How do we know it's not just some ambush?" Hijikata countered.

Mei wrote down her mind furiously, '**What fucking reason would I have to ambush people I've never heard of!?**' She showed it to Hijikata. The latter's face grew furious with anger and was about to snap at her before Sanan spoke up.

"Why do you trust her, Souji?"

The whole room went quiet once the question that had passed through all their minds, now lingered in the air. Okita looked at Sanan with the most serious expression, one that Okita nearly never used, and it sent chills down the other members spines. And after, what seemed like an eternity, he spoke coolly and with a smirk, "I don't trust her, but I don't think she has a reason to lie. I'm just saying, give the little lady the benefit of the doubt." He shrugged.

-Later-

The Roshigumi finally caved into their request and allowed Okita and Mei to venture out for her swords. Mei had told him they they'll be taking the back ways, minimizing the chance of getting followed, or more of the the chance to catch whoever would follow them.

They were now on the outskirts of the Capital, making there way towards their destination.

"So tell me... Why can't you talk?" Okita asked finally breaking the thick silence that had trailed them from the moment they left the Roshigumi HQ.

She glanced at him, and her eyes were filled with a mix of emotions. Anger, sadness, grief, and vengeance. Obviously, now was not the time she wanted to speak about her loss in voice. Nor did she want to speak about it to someone who captured her, taken her captive, beat her up, and laughed at her every time he annoyed her. She looked away once she knew he got the hint and stared at the path ahead of them.

"You know it's hard to have a conversation with someone who can't speak back without a paper and brush?"

She stopped moving and turned to him, a glare like a fox glaring down an intruder to their den. She was telling him to shut up. And he knew it.

"Did I make the Koinu mad?~"

Just because he knew it, didn't mean Okita Souji was going to listen.

Her lips pulled back into a sneer, she was telling him more fiercely to Shut Up.

But Okita would not listen to her unspoken warning because, He was Okita. An idiot who lived to fight. Who lived and breathed the Roshigumi.

Before she could glare at him a very cold glare she froze and turned towards the woods, deep into the shadowed darkness.

"What is it, Koinu?" He asked as his hand instinctively grabbed his katana hilt. But didn't pull it from it's confides when her hand lifted up to him as if to say, 'Don't move.' He watched as her eyes narrowed and she seemed to sniff the air. When her hand lifted down, he simply nodded once she flicked her head to say, 'Follow'.

Her pace was quick yet silent, and followed silently as well. What ever she had sensed in those woods must have spooked, for she was no longer giving off that over-confident aura from before. No, it was fear.

-a bit later-

They reached the back of a fairly large dojo looking shop and she opened the sliding door. The whole place was trashed.

"Well... seems like someone came looking for your swords." Okita said, lightly. As if it was normal to him; probably was. He set his hands into his sleeves and leaned against the pillar by the door. "They must be pretty valuable." He mumbled a bit, as if just to himself. But he knew she would hear him. As he was about to speak another light jib at her, he stopped once he saw her form shaking. Whether with anger or fear, he could not tell. And before he could stop her, she ran rushed forwards and opened a sliding door to her right. "What are you-" He stopped himself again once he saw Mei's eyes widen in horror. Her mouth opening and she covered it with a hand, as if she was letting out a cry. He rushed to her when he saw her legs give out under her and she collapsed into his arms.

Looking up and following her gaze, his own eyes widened a bit at the horrific scene before him. A middle aged man, from what he could tell, was splattered all over the room. His limbs ripped apart and scattered to parts of the room, the head in the middle; a horrofied and painfilled expression frozen on his face. Blood stained the walls and the floor, and nail marks digging into the tatami mats.

Mei shook violently. Her eyes wavering and moving from one spot of blood to an area where a limb sat still. She dug her nails into her palm and kept another hand over her mouth, as if to keep from throwing up whatever food she had in her stomach. Then a thought passed through her mind... Her swords. _If Mikoto is... then they didn't... find my swords... he died protecting... Kusanagi... and Muramasa..._

Quickly freeing herself from Okita she crawled towards Mikoto, and took a shaky silent breath as she picked up his head and moved it away from her and the tatami matt below her. _Mikoto... I'm so sorry... _She thought as she began to rip the tatami matt with her long nails, almost like claws.

"Hey what are you doing?" Okita asked surprised.

She glanced at him before continuing. Blood now staining her hands and legs, and revealing a hidden passage. She looked at Okita and waved him over, then opening the passage with a latch and revealing an underground room. Jumping down, fire lit the lamps and illuminated the room filled with trinkets, heirlooms, and artifacts.

Okita soon followed, "Well now... this guy had a stash of goodies..." He looked around then at her, just in time to see her shake her head. "...?"

She bent down and used her finger on the dirt to write, **These things aren't his... he... Mikoto was a dear friend and was friendly to everyone. He protects possessions that other's can't keep close to them any longer... He was a protector.**

"I see..." Was all Okita could say.

As she stood back up, Mei walked to the two blades that were set on sword stands in black shethes with gold dragons wrapping around them.

"Those are yours." Okita asked, more like a statement than a question. To which she nodded and took them gently off the stand and slowly examined them.

_Good... They didn't touch them... _She thought as they looked clean of any finger prints and any other signs that they had been moved. Softly she set them at her waist under her white belt. Turning to Okita, Mei bowed to him knowing he would get her graditude for allowing her to obtain her blades.

"Hahaha! It's cool Koinu~ Let's just get out of here before someone thinks we killed your friend." Okita said half-heartedly. He didn't want to make her angry or anything because she did just lose a friend and she just got her swords back. "Let's go.." He echoed a bit as he began to climb up the short ladder out, hearing Mei slowly follow.

They both left the way they came; in absolute tense silence.

-Roshigumi-

"Give me her Katana and Kodachi. No woman can fight with swords." Serizawa said with a smirk.

Mei held such a tight grip on her weapons that her knuckles turned white, glaring daggers at the large bulky man before her. She chose to stand, refusing to get on her knees before Serizawa.

"Shall I take it by force?" He dragged out the last word of the warning.

She knelt down and wrote furiously on the scroll, **I'd rather chop your head off you piece of shit! YOU'RE NOT TOUCHING MY FAMILY'S SWORDS! **She showed the scroll to Serizawa, and watched as his face turn red.

"You arrogant bitch!" He hollard. Okita sat silently by a wall, by Heisuke, Harada, and Shinpachi. Hijikata, Kondou, Sanan, and Saito sat by the walls to her left and right; two to each side. "Who do you think you are!?"

Mei wrote down, **I'm Mei Shi. A person. Not a possession or your dog. I refuse to listen to a child that looks like an animal and smells of nothing but Sake and tabaccoo. **She showed it once more, this time so everyone could see.

"Why you-" He cut himself off when she began to write again.

**If you want my swords, fight me for them. Unless you are just too much of a coward to challenge a stronger swordsman than you. **

Wide eyes appeared all over the room on the faces of those present. "You have no manners do you, girl?" All but Serizawa had wide eyes.

She brushed off his comment and kept her ice cold glare on him.

"Your glare honestly gives me chills, girl. It's as scary to stare into those cold eyes, as it is to stare into Hijikata's glare. I think you have as much ice running through your heart and veins, as Hijikata has fire coarsing though his." He grinned before looking at Okita, "She's your mutt," putting emphasis on Mutt before continuing, "You decided if she keeps them or hands them over to me."

"Putting me ont he spot like that because you can't over power this woman like you have all others, that's very cowardess. Even for you, Serizawa." Okita had that same smirk plastered on his face, but his eyes were narrowed into a glare. One, that Serizawa briefly returned. "I say she keeps them. Considering what happened when we found her possessions."

Grim expressions appeared on everyone's face, but Serizawa and his men at his sides, as they were all reminded by the very detailed report Okita had given them upon their return.

"I have no problem with it..." Okita shrugged.

After a few moments of silence, Saito spoke up, "I say she's earned a bit of trust." All eyes were on him, "Any normal guilty person would've attempted to slaughter Souji and if not, she would've ran as soon as she got the chance after she got her swords." He had a point.

All of them knew it made sense if she was a common criminal after secrets of the Roshigumi or such, she would've attempted to kill Souji or ran off once she got what she wanted. But she did neither. Instead she lead him to a real store, where a friend of hers was brutally murdered, gotten her swords, and walked back to the Roshigumi, conscious. And walking behind Souji like a loyal servant. She had done nothing that would deem her guilty.

"I think she deserves to keep the possessions that her friend had died to keep hidden from whoever had killed him."

The whole room went silent once again. Mei kept her ground. She had done nothing wrong but exercise her right to refuse to do something that she did not want to do. She stood her ground as a huma being, not some whore who will bow down to some brute like Serizawa and his lackys.

"Now the question is... Who was it that is after you and your swords and killed your friend?"


	4. I Hate You

Since then a few days had passed, quickly in Mei's opinion. She had gotten used to the people of the Roshigumi. Though still didn't tolerate Serizawa's casual disregard of others opinions and the morality of right and wrong. The people who didn't particularly like Serizawa took a liking to her once they heard of the argument and statements she courageously said to Serizawa.

Mei had been... less on edge than she would care to admit. Ever since leaving her home she had always been looking over her shoulder, always on alert. Never getting time to just relax and enjoy herself and the things around her. Like the soft chirping of birds in the mornings and afternoons, or the soft whistle of the wind. Not even the sunrise or the moon, or the sunset as it allowed surreal colors glow in the sky. For her, all those things should be cherish, for one day one may never hear it again.

This particular day, Mei had been sitting upon the edge of the floorboards and allowed her body to bathe in the bright sunlight. She wore a Black and gold version of her dress that the Roshigumi had captured her in.

"Eh? You want me to kill you, don't you kid?"

Another thing she couldn't stand tolerating was Okita's idiocy and impulsive behavior when in a bad mood.

Slowly, she stood up and walked towards the sounds of a man shouting in anger at Okita. As she drew closer, two figures were at the gates of their temporary headquarters, "...?" A rouge samurai, which she assumed, was standing in front of Okita.

"Who do you think you are, smart ass little punk!?" He shouted. Okita stood silently, a smirk on his lips, per usual. "You think I'm trash? I serve this country honorably! That family deserves to be cut down by my sword for disrespecting me! That snot nosed brat of a little bitch should've gone first!"

"That's what you think." Okita stated.

Mei walked over, her eyes obscured by her bangs and her hand reached for the hilt of her sword. She glared down at the man.

"Mei!" Okita said as he grabbed onto her wrist, "Calm down, this is not the time."

"What?" The other man laughed, "A Woman? Wielding a sword?! What a joke!" He looked at Mei with amused and a lustful gaze as it roamed her body, "Such a beautiful woman shouldn't wield a blade~ You should be a geisha. Such a body and face would earn you great money~ Especially if you gave yourself to me-" He was cut off by her knee crashing into his crotch. Falling to the ground on his knees, hands holding his manhood, he growled weakly, "Y-You... whore!..."

She was about to kick the side of his head but Okita held her body close to his, "Mei!... Calm down!... He's just another idiot.. Don't mind him." He was confused at her actions. Why did she lose her composure so quickly? Not even he could make her do that.

Mei glared daggers at the man before her.

"Get this guy outta here!" Okita told close by members of the Roshigumi. Said members hurried over and did as told; throwing the man out like he was no less than a piece of trash.

"Mei what is the matter with you?" Okita asked. He had never seen her, in the days that passed, so... Angry. So irritated. Not even Serizawa got her to the point where she looked scary and seriously lifted a hand to the hilt of her weapons. Despite his usual personality around her; being the type to tease her and make her upset, he did gain some sense of need to protect her, however possibly because of she was his page. It was an odd feeling for him so he never mentioned it to anyone. Not even Kondou.

Mei didn't make any attempt to answer. No writing on the dirt with her finger, no going for a scroll and paintbrush. Her bangs hid her eyes as her lips began to move, Okita's eyes widening a bit as he looked at them. Though he heard not a voice but something below a whisper, as if it was the wind speaking through the crevices between the trees leafs; before she harshly pulled away from Okita and walked off in anger.

"Mei...?" Okita mumbled before sighing and running a hand through his bangs, "Geez," he sighed, "Women like her are so troublesome..." Despite that he looked up at the afternoon sky and opted it being best to give her space. "She needs a breather.."

-Mei-

Later, the sun had set and the moon rose up high in the dark sky.

Mei sat on the grass under a cherry blossom tree. Watching the pink petals blow in the slight breeze. Times like these, she often thought about her past. Her lightening colored eyes stared up at the starry sky, looking for constellations and the milky way. She had calmed down by then from earlier in the day. Slowly getting to her feet she made her way to the court yard by the front gates, she felt like practicing with her sword. It had been some time since she last unsheathed her treasured weapons, and she felt that if those people that killed her dearest friend would come for her anytime soon, she'd be rusty and risk death. She wasn't ready to die yet, and especially not by their hand.

As she let out a silent sigh, she pulled herself from such thoughts and found herself at her destination. She unsheathed her Katana Muramasa, and took in a deep breath as she held the blades edge in the opposite direction that it normally would. However even before she had lifted her sword a chill ran down her spine.

Turning in urgency she lifted her sword to defend an attack but no one was behind her to inflict an attack of any kind. She was probably just paranoid at that point thanks to her earlier thoughts. But that theory alone made her mood worsen. She didn't want to go back... to the times she always had to look over her shoulder. Those times she couldn't enjoy the small things in life. The sun, chirping birds, to even enjoy her meals. It was hell... living like that.

"Mei!" Someone called out to her, grabbing her attention from any further negative thoughts.

Turning the woman spotted Heisuke, Harada, and Shinpachi. Her eyes were a bit wide and quickly she sheathed her sword. She nodded her head up a bit as if to say, 'What?'

"Have you seen Souji? He ran off a while ago after Hijikata said some pretty harsh things.." Heisuke asked.

"Yea, he was pretty upset. We were hoping he would've run off to you to at least tell you where he was going." Harada said lightly.

All three men frowned as Mei shook her head, a frown of her own on her lips. With a silent, deep, sigh she made her way towards the gates.

"Hey! Mei where are you going?!" Shinpachi called out.

Mei waved her hand at them before using the sheathe of Muramasa to write into the ground, **Find, Okita. Hold onto Kusanagi so people don't think I ran off.** She tossed over her short sword in that moment to with that she pulled off into a dead sprint and headed out into town. _Where the hell are you Okita? _She thought irritably. That man was a pain in the ass sometimes, and she wondered would it have been better if he had killed her the day she lost. Maybe she wouldn't have to deal with so much stress about him. If he ever did something bad, it'd reflect on her as well. It was bad enough people think she can't be trusted. She didn't need everyone thinking she was anything like Okita. _I swear when I find him, I'm gonna kick his ass. _She thought in annoyance before finally slowing her sprint to a fast walk.

She searched the town for some time before she stopped at the bridge, underneath the shadow of a tree. _Okita... You little- ugh! _She looked up in anger before it suddenly disappeared once she saw familiar reddish brown hair and emerald eyes. Her own lightning orbs widening in surprise, _Oh... That's where you are. Found you. _She thought sheepishly. As she was about to grab a rock and throw it in his direction to get his attention, that familiar chill ran down her spine, but so much worse. This time she knew someone was behind her.

"That your friend, little Shi yaojing." Said a low voice, lips pressing to her ear and causing her to freeze and tense up in place. "That your friend? The guy you lost too?" Her eyes widened considerably, "It makes me wonder if hes really that strong. Strong enough to take down a Shi child. It makes me wanna fight him and see how strong he is for myself." The voice was dripping with malicious intent in that statement and she put a hand to her Katana. "You make any move to gain his attention I won't hesitate to kill him." it said before pulling her along by her arm. "Lets have a small chat."

It took every bit of power not to throw something, make a noise, anything to get Okita's attention. But her body disobeyed her wishes in the end either way, even if she would make up her mind and try to involve Okita. Her body refused. Before she knew it she was pulled into the treeline and further into the forest and released. Four or five people surrounded her a good few yards away, not including the one that grabbed her.

"Well, Yaojing? Did you really think you could hide from us?" The voice said. It was distorted now that she thought about it. It was probably due to the person wearing a mask of some sort. She heard them put something on while they dragged her here. "Where's the Kusanagi blade? Your set isn't complete without it.. girl."

Mei gripped the hilt of Muramasa tightly. Her knuckles turning white at how tightly she held her precious treasure.

"What's wrong, Yaojing? Cat got your tongue?" The voice mocked and she turned quickly unsheathing her katana and cutting off the mask that was placed over the owners face. The male was grinning widely, "Ahh~ So I made you made from that statement? Do you want your voice back?" He chuckled as the owner stepped into the light. His blonde hair wavy in the most perfect of ways, and his dark green eyes glaring into her lightning ones. "Then grow a backbone. Find the will to break the curse you put yourself under." He teased. His Changshan pitch black with silver embroidery and a silver dragon wrapping around his clothes design. Two swords at his side.

Mei glared angrily at the man before lunging at him.

"That's right, Mei. Fight~" A grin on the mans face as he pulled out both his swords and the sounds of four or five other pairs of footsteps rushing at her reaching her ears as she aimed to attack.

_I hate you! Uncle! _

The sound of the slicing of flesh filling the air of the woods, followed by the splatter of blood.


	5. Xing Li

The morning following Okita's little disappearing act of the night, everyone realized that a certain mute page was missing. And the first one to notice was Okita. Every morning since Mei had become his page, she had always been in his room ready with some tea. But that morning she wasn't there. That was when he knew something was wrong. He got up, changed and quickly began to search the grounds for her. Telling his fellow samurai Hijikata, Kondou, Hajime and the like, who then helped him search. That's when Heisuke informed him, "She went out searching for you... That's what she told Sanosuke, Shinpachi and I. She even gave Harada her Kusanagi to him to make sure we all knew she'd come back. We were heading to your room to return it." He said as he held up Kusanagi in his hand.

"Then something happened to her." Okita concluded.

"Or maybe you're just being naive and she simply took her chance to run off and escape." Came a deep voice; it was none other than Serizawa.

All of them turned to see him, with Nimi at his side, per usual. Ryonosuke not too far behind.

"It wouldn't be too far fetched to think she took this chance to run off from this place. Using the excuse of finding the brat while he ran off throwing a tantrum. She obviously took the opportunity to take off." Serizawa stated as he walked over to them a respective distance away. Which was rare for him.

"Because I just love to prove you wrong. Mei would never leave her short sword behind. Not ever. She begged us to let her retrieve them, so they're very important to her. she wouldn't just leave Kusanagi here to flee." Okita defended.

"He's right. It just doesn't sound like her. Something must've happened, we should go look for her." Heisuke added as he looked at the short sword in his hand. "She could've been ambushed by a bunch of rouge samurai." Unbeknownst that something much worse happened to the woman that became a part of their small band of misfit samurai.

"You all should just stop making excuses for the little traitor."

"I beg our pardon, Serizawa, but the woman you are speaking of is our comrade, and unless you have proof of her being a traitor I ask you to please refrain from talking about her as such. She has been a part of this organization for a short time yes, I agree, but that doesn't make her any less trustworthy. I recommend we go and search for her just in case something has happened to her. And if we find her unharmed or trying to escape, we will take the necessary actions and kill her." Kondou intervened.

The air was tense between the two groups. But Serizawa especially didn't seem bothered by that at all. "Do as you want then... But I say you all are wasting your time." He said before walking off. He seemed pretty convinced he was right.

However the others didn't care. Not as Hijikata began issuing orders, putting everyone in pairs in different parts of Kyoto, "Now go!" He shouted before they all ran off.

-Meanwhile-

"Had enough, Yaojing?" That same man grinned as he looked down at the woman before him and his five comrades. Mei was beaten, bloodied, and wounded in many places. Scratches on her cheeks, bruises forming beneath her clothing which was ripped in places and revealed the sides of her breasts, her stomach, and more of her legs. Her eyes glared at him as she breathed heavily silently, she held her Katana in front of her firmly, tightly. But they all knew she was getting a bit tired by now. "You're just a glutton for punishment, aren't you?" All six of her enemies had been fairly wounded by her sword in a number of places, but since it was six against one, it was reasonable she'd have more injuries. "One more round, then we take that sword from her. This time, just kill her while that potion is still in her system." he stated before they all charged at her.

One lunged at her as another one aimed to cut her down from top, immediately she spun on her heel and block the attack from above before grabbing the other blade in her hand, silently wincing in pain as it cut through her skin. Moving out from her position once she knew the two would fall into each other, which they did once she moved. She immediately jumped in the air to avoid a sword to her legs before slicing the owner's back a bit then using it as leverage to jump away and swing at another man, cutting his throat easily. She knew if she had any chance of getting out alive, she had to cut down the odds. Which led her next move to impale another man through the heart before pulling her blade out and using him as a shield to block the main guys attack.

"Quick on your feet you are, Mei."

_Enough to kill your lacky's Li. _Mei thought before kicked the dead corpse of his former comrade at him then blocked an attack to her side from one of her other opponents. Now four against one, she could have a little more time to breathe. But she thought too soon as her vision began to fail her at times, blurring. And her head began to throb. _Damn it... I shouldn't have left kusanagi with them... I'm used to __Niten Ichi Ryu... _She thought as she blocked another attack, allowing another sword to graze her exposed side, cutting though her skin.

"Looks like you're slowing down. Not focusing on the battle, Mei?" Li grinned as he decided to take the opportunity to lunge at her from behind while his two comrades kept her busy. "Finally I'll get to kill the great Niten Ichi Ryu user of the Shi clan." He stated as he aimed to strike her through the heart.

_Damnit! I need to move!_

"Not so good without both your swords-"

"I recommend you don't touch my page, if you value your life." Came a familiar voice. A familiar, annoying voice. Causing Mei to turn her head a bit to see Okita Souji, heated and eyes full of fury.

"You shouldn't take your eyes off of your opponent." Said another familiar voice, a younger voice. She turned her head back to ahead of her as she heard a body hit the floor. Heisuke's sword stained with blood and a grin on his face. "I believe this is yours." He said before handing her Kusanagi. Smiling wider as he saw the woman's eyes gleam with happiness.

"What a happy reunion. I guess that's cue for us to leave." Li stated before running off with his last standing comrade. "I'll get to kill you soon, and take those swords." he swore before he disappeared into the forests shadows.

Okita was about to go forth and rush after them before the sound of a body hitting the floor filled the silence followed by, "Mei!" Heisuke shouted before catching the woman in his arms. That's when they took notice to the many injuries inflicted onto her body, "Souji! We need to get her back now or she'll bleed out!" he said as he picked her up, handing her weapons to Okita.

"You're right. Lets hurry." Okita agreed before they both rushed off to the Roshigumi.

-Later-

"So they must've been the ones that trashed Mei's friends place, and killed him looking for her family heirlooms." Sannan said lightly as he looked at Hijikata and Kondou. "They more than likely took the opportunity to ambush her when she was out looking for Okita." He added.

In the next room over, Mei Shi was being cleaned up by one of the nearby female doctors available to them.

"She fought for a while it seemed. She was exhausted by the time we got there, barely keeping up with their attacks. They weren't even playing fair! It was like 4 or 5 against one!" Heisuke growled in annoyance before looking down. "We should've gone with her. Even if she's strong, she's still a woman and vulnerable to situations like that... It could've been worse." he stated. Angry with himself for not thinking of this before.

Okita more than anyone blamed himself for her getting hurt so badly. "We didn't intervene till they were really gonna play dirty. It seemed she's trained in the Niten Ichi Ryu style." he stated as he remembered one of the lacky's saying something about 'not having her second sword.'

"That's not a very popular technique." Kondou noted.

"It isn't. If you're dual-wielding, any archers that can see you will be trying to get you as an easy kill. It's damn hard to block an arrow with a sword in any game, and in some games it isn't allowed. Some games will let you have a back shield or a small shield strapped to your forearm. None of those scenarios make it easy to keep the arrows off you, though. Thrown projectiles are a good deal easier to deal with; just watch out for those archers." Sanosuke stated as he looked around the room. "A shield crush isn't a great place for a dual-wielder, either, unless you really are a master of paying attention to many things at once. Two-stick is best suited for skirmishes and one-on-one. In addition, your weapons will get bullied by two-handed weapons. You will not be able to hard block very well. If you get put on the defensive you will have to run or lose."

"Yea, many people didn't like those odds in battle so it wasn't very popular. Only a handful of people have mastered it and teach it." Heisuke said.

"Miss! You shouldn't be getting up..!" Came the female doctors voice in the next room.

"Let her get up. I don't care. Just proves shes ready to die." Came Serizawa's voice, followed by his booming laughter.

All of those from the Shieikan hall, in the next room, looked up alerted. Their eyes wide and quickly got up before opening the door connecting the two rooms. Revealing a very heated, and very injured, Mei as she glared daggers at Serizawa. Who per usual, had Nimi beside him at the door.

"So you are very much alive, freeloader. Where were you huh? It doesn't seem like your attackers conveniently failed to kill you and you got here alive with the help of those dogs." Serizawa stated as he stepped into the room, a grin across his face. "So what's your excuse for leaving without permission? Huh? Trying to escape?" It seemed they had failed to fill he man in on what had happened.

Lucky for Mei, she could smell something dirty heading in her direction so she got up in time to grab her swords and hold them close to her person.

"Serizawa! Please leave her be! She was attacked! Souji and Heisuke had seen them themselves, crossed blades with them even!" Kondou interjected immediately before things could get worse.

Everyone's eyes were on Serizawa and Kondou, everyone but Saito and Okita. Their eyes remained on Mei, who was tightly gripping her swords to her person, and her abused form shaking. From what it could not be pin pointed as her eyes hid away behind her bangs.

_Damn you... Li... you bastard.. I won't let you have my swords... They're mine!_

_"Protect these with your life, Mei... You're the last of the family I can trust with these... Now run!"_

The two skilled swordsman, that were looking at Mei, breaths hitched in surprise as tears fell down her cheeks and onto her hands. _I'll make you pay, Li._

The doctor that was treating Mei had long fled from the situation that seemed to have escalated.

Immediately Saito and Okita got to Mei's side and helped her out of the room and to her own room. "Mei... Try not to strain yourself too much... You'll open up your wounds again." Okita suggested as he set her down on her futon. "There... gently..." he mumbled absently as if he had never had to take care of someone so gently before. As if reminding himself Mei wasn't just anyone. "Mei... Did you know those guys? Were they the ones who trashed your friends place?" He asked lightly, taking a spot in the corner in front of her to the left.

Mei didn't say anything, per usual, and simply grabbed the ink, quill, and paper available to her at her bedside before writing, **The main man of the group was my uncle. His name is Xing Li. But I refer to him as Li. He was my mothers closest friend and I grew up thinking of him as an uncle. A part of my family. **Talking about seemed to have upset her, evident in the way she gripped the quill so tightly it could've broken.

"... If he was a family friend of yours.. What happened to him that would make him attempt to kill you?" Saito now asked, softly and slowly. Not wanting to upset the woman any further.

**Li was a good man, at least thats what he made us believe. He tricked us and sold us out to an enemy family, slaughtering my family and other branches of the family. Even the huma- **But she stopped there and smeared the kanji with her hand before continuing, **He's out for power. It's plain and simple. He has some sort of resentment towards my bloodline and has been hellbent on destroying it. I'm the last of my family so I'm the only one standing in his way of claiming power in my home. Once that happens... Bad things will follow in China. **

"Like what?" Okita asked.

**War with my family's Japanese rivals. And when it comes up to war with them and my uncles family, everyone in the vicinity, regardless of race or age, will be slaughtered without a second thought.**


	6. Mei?

-Dream-

_"We need to keep running, Mei!" A man screamed who looked no older than his early 20's; his age being 22. His dark red hair in a low ponytail tied back with a black ribbon flowed behind him elegantly even as he ran desperately away from the mansion that was now engulfed in flames._

_"Lao! What are we gonna do? You can't fight as well as you can if you have to protect me! You need to go! I'll stay behind!" An 11-year-old Mei said distressfully before glancing back at the fire that licked at the black sky. Her eyes were wide with terror as she saw the glowing red eyes and black silhouette's that emerged from the flames. "Big brother! They're coming!" she gripped his hand much tighter._

_"I know Mei, but we need to keep running!" Lao urged before suddenly picking up his sister, along with his pace._

_Mei watched as the bodies did the same. Her small frail hands gripping the back of her older brothers clothing. They were gonna get killed... They were gonna die... And for what? What had she and her family ever done wrong? Her childish mind was supposed to be filled with innocent, childish things - Not death, blood, and gore that would haunt her dreams for years. What kind of world did they live in where children had to fear closing their eyes because they thought someone was gonna come into their room and kill them? Why?... "Lao... we're... we're gonna die... aren't we..." She whispered to her brother with horrified eyes._

_"You're not gonna die, Mei! I'm gonna protect you!" Lao argued, hugging his sister closer to his person before running into the nearby forest. The red eyed silhouette's following after them. Lao sprinted into the forest at top speed before stopping at a large tree. Their pursuers were far behind, and that bought them some time. "Mei, I need you to find that tree you hid in when you played hide-and-seek with Mao and Lee. Okay? Remember?" Her brother asked before taking off his swords at his sides and giving them to his sister. He pointed in the opposite direction of the smoke that floated into the sky, "The tree is that way. I need you to take these and hide. I'll go distract them and lead them away, then come back for you and we'll go somewhere safe, I promise." He stated before kneeling in front of the girl._

_"Lao no! You can't! They'll surely kill you! If you leave without your swords, you'll die!" Mei shook her head furiously, trying desperately to push Kusanagi and Muramasa back to him, however fruitless as he simply pushed them gently back to her._

_"Have faith in me okay? If I do die, then they would take the family swords... We don't want that, right?" Lao asked, smiling softly as his youngest sister shook her head. "Good... I love you okay? You're my precious baby sister... You are strong... You will grow up to be as beautiful as mom and be as strong as father, maybe even more... You will be faster than me... And way smarter than your older sisters and our eldest brother... You will grow up to be amazing at everything you do, you're even a prodigy at Niten Ichi Ryu..." But they both felt the bloodlust of their pursuers drawing near. She had to run..._

_"Lao... Please come get me... Don't leave me behind..." Mei begged before setting down the swords and hugging her brother tightly. Tears streaming down both their faces._

_Lao hugged his sisters small form tightly, "I Love you... Protect these with your life, Mei... You're the last of the family I can trust with these," He picked up the swords once he pulled away and wiped away his tears, placing them in her arms, "Now run!" He stated after giving her a small push and dashing into the direction of the flames in a blur._

_All Mei could do was call out to her brother in a heartbreaking cry, before rushing off to the large tree where a small crawl space type hole had developed as the tree grew tall. It was large enough for her small body and the swords to fit inside and hide from the moonlight that shined inside, making them invisible to the world._

-Reality-

_Lao... You lied... Why...? Why did you... leave me behind? _A sleeping Mei thought before shooting up from her bed in a cold sweat and unsheathed her sword, ready to cut down anyone unfortunate enough to cross her. However, there was only Saito in the room. He himself had unsheathed his sword and got ready to subdue her if she were to get violent.

"You are safe, Mei... You have nothing to worry about here... Please put your back into its scabbard." Saito said before stepping a bit closer and reaching a hand out to her, furthering his actions as she did not move or flinch away, "Why are you crying?" He asked monotonously before rubbing his thumb on her cheek and wiping away a tear or two. "Do your injuries still hurt? I can have a doctor be brought in again." He offered, unsure of what to do with a crying woman. A task he never seemed to have dealt with before.

Mei was a bit stunned at first when he touched her skin, but calmed at the gesture, before her eyes widened at the question. Was she crying? She put Kusanagi away and wiped furiously at her cheeks to rid herself of her salty tears that began to irritate her eyes with a burning sensation. But stopped when two strong hands gripped her wrists a bit firmly and pulled them away from her face.

"You will hurt yourself more that way... and you still have some bandages there, so it is best not to tamper with them with such aggressiveness." Saito, obviously, was the one to grip her hands.

He was close to her face, a couple more inches as the two would touched noses. Her eyes widened when she realized the proximity and tried to communicate it through her eyes. Which seemed to work when Saito suddenly pulled away and stood up, leaving the room quickly.

_Was he... blushing? _Mei thought absently before looking down at the condition of her body. Dressed in a white yukata for sleep she peeked inside, past the folds and saw most of her torso bandaged and then at her legs, the same result. Her arms were no different. She slowly stood up from her futon and looked to the corner of her room where some of her clothes were laid out.

She quickly changed out of her yukata before dressing in a dark purple Cheongsam with gold lining and a golden dragon embroidered around it. Slipping on her flats she placed her swords at her hip and walked out of her room. Heading to Okita's room at the end of the hall. It was nighttime, how long had she been asleep...? How much time passed?

The smell of blood filled her nose and she couldn't help but freeze in her place. Her mind still lingered with nightmares of the past and the iron smell caused a chill to run down her spine. After a few moments of regaining small amount of her courage, she willed her legs to move towards the smell of iron. As she neared the source, she hadn't even realized how hard her heart was beating. How fast it was beating. If she did realize it, she would swear everyone in the compound would hear it. Before she knew it she had stopped at sliding doors, to Okita's room. When she opened it Okita had blood on his face, splattered, and his eyes widened when their eyes met.

"Mei- You're crying again…" Okita whispered before getting up, not even hindered by the blood on him. As if he hadn't even noticed the crimson. The man walked over to her a bit and reached a hand out.

Mei's eyes were wide and she couldn't help take a step back as he tried to touch her.

Okita, however, didn't seem to notice or didn't care as he still reached out and gently wiped away her tears. "Why are you crying now? Did Saito make a move on you?" He joked a bit with his signature smirk. "Actually, that probably wouldn't ever happen." He chuckled.

For a moment, everything was normal again, and Mei frowned. Her hands setting themselves on her hips, silently asking him, 'What's that supposed to mean?'

Okita had grown accustomed to her mannerisms and her silence. So at some point he acquired a small knack for understanding her without her even speaking. It was almost supernatural with how he seemed to get the jist of what she was silently saying. "I mean, you're not **that** pretty and Saito may be experienced fighting but with women? Ha, Heisuke's got more talent there than Saito." And Heisuke wasn't even that good. That alone said a lot.

Mei felt her cheeks heat up just a bit, focused more on the first part of his explanation rather than the second. Her eyes narrowed on the man and she looked absolutely offended. She gripped Kusanagi a bit and threatened to unsheathe the blade.

Okita held his hands up a bit in front of his chest in surrender, a laugh passing his lips. "Hey now I don't mean any harm."

_Liar. _Mei thought as she lowered her hand from Kusanagi, that same hand reaching up towards Okita's cheek and wiping some of the blood on his cheek onto her finger. She shuddered just a bit at the contact of the drying blood, bringing her thumb to her face she sniffed the air. _Iron… _She thought lightly before showing him her thumb and frowning. _Who's is this? _She thought. Trying to convey it as best she could.

"What?" Okita said a bit exasperatedly. He had gotten enough of that question from Hiikata and the others. "It's Tonochi's. Or was. I killed him." The male said casually. "Does it bother you? I'm sure you've killed people." He stated.

Mei didn't answer, only sniffing at the blood on her thumb again then giving him a look. She looked deep in thought before sighing, waving her hand a bit in front of her nose, trying to tell him he smells. That was clear enough for him to understand without any difficulty.

Okita nodded, "Yeah yeah. I'm gonna clean up." He stated with a light smirk. He felt a bit uneasy with her response. Or rather, the way she looked to him. She looked completely out of it. Yet also struggling.

With not much else to say she turned on her heel and walked off, down the veranda, and probably heading to one of the specific gardens. Her pink hair flowing a bit behind her as she walked.

"What's going on with you, Mei?" Okita whispered to himself once the female was out of earshot. He thought about the moment just before she left. He didn't know if it was an absent motion, or she was conscious of what she did, but in that moment—just before she walked off, an almost maddening smirk appeared on her lips. For some reason, it had chills running down Okita's spine. It was as if he had encountered something evil. But he wasn't afraid. Not of her. He couldn't stop himself from fearing for what's happening to her. What he didn't realize then, he wouldn't truly understand it till it was much later. Much too late to save her. That's how he felt. As if to mock his feeling, a crow perched on the fence, and cawed at him a few times. As if laughing at him. The bird often seen as an omen of misfortune and death, was laughing at what was to come.

* * *

**Hello! Chess here, I'm super sorry for the long wait on updating this chapter. Senior year has me by the balls and is totally trying to stop me from having free time. I also work on wattpad stories too so I've been trying to update all my stories at least once this and last month. **

**I would greatly appreciate some reviews and follows too! I lose motivation when I think people don't read this or like it. I also greatly appreciate those of you who have already favorited, followed, and reviewed this fanfiction it means a lot and I hope you all still read this story. I know it may not seem like it, rather it seems like I'm neglecting you and slacking off on purpose, but I really try to get these chapters up as soon as possible. I don't want to abandon this story, or any stories I write here and wattpad. So getting notifications of reviews, follows and favorites always help me get a bit of motivation every time I see them. **

**Anyways, thanks for reading this one and look forward to the next chapter.**


	7. Naturally

"Mei! Get up! What are you doing out here?!" Came a very worried and confused voice.

Mei groaned silently in irritation. She noted arm were wrapped around her and a slight breeze glided against her skin a bit. When she noticed, the latter goosebumps formed on her arms and legs. Bright lightning orbs slowly opened as she blinked a bit of the tiredness from her eyes, trying to regain clear vision instead of the blurriness that she had awoken to.

"Mei what the hell?"

The woman lifted a hand up to her eyes and rubbed one of them. When she softly set her hand back down on her stomach she looked up to see it was Harada. She tilted her head a bit as their eyes met before she looked around them—she was outside. They were on the grass in the garden she liked. Had she accidentally fallen asleep there?

"Mei, are you okay? Please tell me." The samurai was more than a little concerned as to why he had found Mei sleeping in the grass first thing in the morning. The man slowly picked the woman up in his arms, an arm beneath her knees and another around her shoulders, then took her over to the veranda.

Mei looked at the man before looking at the wooden boards as her feet touched the veranda and she was set down.

"Nod your head if you're okay."

Mei nodded her head before looking at Harada, giving him an odd look. She was just as confused at why she was outside as he was but she didn't seem nearly as concerned about it as him.

"Geez… You need to be careful Mei. You'll get sick and Souji won't be happy and will probably make it worse by making you do work. Not even mentioning what Serizawa would do if he had seen you or if you got sick." Harada stated a bit like a concerned older brother or reprimanding father.

The thought brought a smile to Mei's lips; Harada as a father? She could see it, and see his children running around and getting into all sorts of trouble. Fighting off the smile now, she lifted a hand to cover her lips. Her shoulders began to shake slightly as if laughing.

Harada obviously noticed her actions and couldn't help but smiling warmly at her, "What's so funny, huh?" He chuckled before patting her head just a bit, "You finally smile after how long you've been here?" He jibbed. His hands gentle and warm.

Mei looked at him a bit surprised, more by the fact that she had realized it probably was the first genuine smile she had on her face since the first day. Probably the first genuine laugh and smile since **that **day. She smiled a bit more freely now before she looked down.

"You must miss your home, right? I'm sorry you got dragged into this life because of Serizawa, but I'm glad you're here. You bring a refreshing feeling here. Maybe one day you will get to go back to China, safe and sound." Harada said lightly, sitting down on the edge of the veranda, leaning back on his hands. "How long has it been since you last been home?" He asked lightly. It wasn't a complicated enough answer for her to have to write anything down. She simply could use her fingers, he figured.

As did she. But the question had gotten her to feel a bit melancholic. She looked down at the grass as she slowly sat beside him. _It's been a pretty long time… Back then I was still just a kid… _She thought absently before she sighed. _Telling him at least this much wouldn't hurt anyone… _She added in thought before looking at him, lifting 10 fingers then putting them back down on her lap.

"Weeks?"

She shook her head.

"Months?"

She shook her head again.

"Years?"

Mei nodded finally.

His words sounded saddened and a bit surprised. His voice was just above a whisper when he asked. But then another question crossed his mind, hoping it wouldn't cross any boundaries, "Souji mentioned you telling him you weren't always a mute—how long has it been since you last had your voice?"

Mei looked at her feet for a few minutes, as if contemplating on telling him. The pregnant pause a little suspenseful on Harada's end, and a bit confused on hers. But finally, she let out another silent sigh and lifted 10 fingers again. The look in her eyes told him years.

"How old were you?"

She lifted bother of her pointer fingers. _11… _she tried to convey.

And her messaged was received. "Damn, Mei… have you tried talking at all since then? I mean… By now your voice must've changed a lot…" Harada said as he gave her a very surprised look. He couldn't imagine not having a voice for so long. Unable to clearly or openly speak up for yourself and what you believe in. To communicate freely with others.

Mei took another moment to think before shaking her head. She hadn't tried. She never had a reason to.

"Harada!"

The call of the man's name caught both parties' attention easily, both looking down the veranda towards the front gates, and coming towards them was Okita, Heisuke, and Hijikata. The one who had called him happened to be Hijikata.

"Oh! Mei! You're here." Heisuke said surprised before giving her a big smile.

"Good. Both of you are here. Get up and let's go." Hijikata stated.

"Where are we going?" Harada asked as he got up and then helped Mei to her feet.

"With Serizawa into town." Hijikata replied before already beginning to walk towards the gates.

Without another word from anyone, they all followed after the devilish man. Heisuke falling in step with Harada at his side, both right behind Hijikata. Okita and Mei fell into step with one another just behind them.

-A bit later-

The four were accompanied with Ryunosuke, Shinpachi, Kondou, and a few others aside from Nimi and Serizawa. In the end Serizawa didn't want to be seen with the woman and sent her off with Harada, Heisuke, and the other two comrades-in-arms off to find supplies. Mei intended only to get herself some more ink, brushes, and paper for her to write on. She didn't find the idea of being an errand dog for Serizawa the least bit pleasing.

"Damn Serizawa, he acts like a kid." Heisuke grumbled with his hands behind his head. "Why does he have to be such an ass to you. He treats you like the plague."

Harada chuckled, "You're a kid too Heisuke. But you've got a point. Mei's been with us for a while now, any grown man would have gotten over it by now. Plus, he should just admit that he started it." He looked over to Mei, who walked in front of them. "Maybe because he's a nationalist." He wondered.

"Probably." Heisuke replied.

Mei did nothing to really contribute to the conversation between both. He knew some of them were nationalists and her presence must have been irritating. Like she cared though. She didn't care if they hated her or liked her. She was there because she had lost fair and square against Okita, and he spared her life. Granted she had to become his page, it wasn't that bad, she had to admit.

"Mikoto!"

All five of them blinked at the sudden shout of a woman in distress. Looking around they spotted a man, with two men behind him, holding a young boy by his hair with a harsh grip. A woman, more than likely the mother, was a few feet away, frightened. Tears in her eyes she pleaded with the men, "Please…! Please let him go…!" She cried. No one around moved to help, no one looked to the obvious threat. No one did anything.

"Like hell. You don't want to help me out with a few drinks, an honorable samurai that risks my life for your safety, then let me teach you what will happen to this kid if I weren't around protecting our great country." The man laughed as he grabbed out his short sword and threw the kid onto the floor as he raised up the deadly weapon and brought it down to strike the boy in the head.

"MIKOTO!"

Blood dripping onto the ground, but there was no child screaming. Instead it was silence. In between the blade and the boy was Mei. Her blood staining the ground as she held the boy close to her person with one arm, her free hand gripping the blade harshly, tightly. Slowly standing to her feet with the boy in an arm she looked to the mother then the boy, trying to tell the woman to take her boy and go.

The mother was evidently frightened of Mei but as she saw her son, unharmed and safe, she nodded her head and rushed over, taking her son in her arms. "Thank you so much." She whispered beneath her breath before rushing off.

"Mei…" Harada whispered in surprise. Him nor his comrades moved towards her, as she was giving off a very heavy aura once the mother and child left. If they had rushed in now, whatever was going to happen next, they'd only get in the way.

Mei slowly turned towards the three men, and what they saw made chills run down their spine. Her eyes were bright with anger, and ice cold. Starring daggers into their own, and her grip on the sword didn't loosen as she reached for Kusanagi at her side.

"Huh? Who the fuck are you? Move aside bitch." The man growled, "Oh look, she's got a sword too. How laughable. Disgraceful of a women-"

But Mei didn't let him continue. As she unsheathed Kusanagi she kicked the man in the stomach, ripping the blade from his hands and to the ground before she pointed Kusanagi at the other two, daring them to try and fight her. Her movements were sharp, fluid. The air around her only got thicker as a small grin tugged at her lips like before, with Okita. The smell of blood wafting into her nose.

"Why you little-!" One man lunged forward.

Only to be knocked down and to get a blade through his thigh. His scream cutting through the silence of the street and his blood joining hers in staining the ground.

The last man had enough intelligence not to try and challenge her, getting the hint he stood no chance. He turned quickly to run off, but for some reason Mei didn't stop. She lunged forward and aimed to strike the man down before Heisuke stood in front of her. Blocking her path and stopping the sword with his own.

"Mei. Wake up." Heisuke urged as he tried to push the woman back a bit. But he couldn't help but notice her eyes, they were almost animalistic as they stared back into his, like the person before him wasn't the same person he had come to know. "Mei…! Harada some help please!" He growled.

Harada soon enough came behind the woman and knocked her out with the butt of his own katana. Catching the woman in his arms before she completely collapsed to the ground. Kusanagi clattering to the floor and the silence of the street following it. "Heisuke. She's burning up." He stated as he noticed how hot the woman's skin was getting, "She's sick, we have to take her back now." He instructed as he slowly stood up from the floor and shifted Mei in his arms so her head rested on his shoulder. "How did you get sick without any of us noticing, Mei? Geez…" He whispered lightly before beginning his walk back.

"How bad do you think it is?" Heisuke asked concerned for the woman they've come to know.

"It might be a few days before she gets better, her skin is pretty hot…" Harada explained before glancing at Heisuke. "Souji won't be happy…" He stated plainly.

"You got that right." Heisuke nodded, "When he asks us what happened… Do we tell him what we saw?" He asked slowly and low, so only him and Harada could hear. They both knew very well what he meant—the grin on her face. The overwhelming aura that emanated off her. The thick and heaviness they felt, and her quick to kill attitude. The fear she struck into those that watched, and the bloodlust that was in her eyes. That wasn't the Mei they knew.

"We'll tell the guys, but not a word to Serizawa…"

"Naturally."

* * *

**Allo! Please follow, favorite, and review I would really appreciate it! **

**I'm so glad I finished this chapter within a reasonable amount of time~ Hehe~ I feel absolutely horrible when I don't update in months or in some cases a year. I feel a bit better now and kinda out of the writers block rut, so I hope I can get another chapter out soon in a reasonable amount of time. If I don't please yell at me. **

**Love always,**

**Chess**


	8. Wake Up

"It's been a week, and she hasn't gotten any better." Okita complained as he sat beneath a tree, staring at his friends who sat on the veranda. Saito sat at the edge of the floorboards, Harada beside him. Heisuke stood and leaned against a support beam with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, the fever has gone down compared to how It was before, but she has a nasty cough and nausea." Harada stated before he released a small sigh. The day they came back Harada and Heisuke immediately had taken her to her room and had Inoue tend to her and to see if he could lower her fever. For the first few days she didn't look like she would make it.

"She hasn't been able to stay conscious for more than an hour before fainting again." Heisuke added as he glanced at the room behind them, being Mei's room. "What do you think it is?" He asked, giving a glance to everyone in eyesight.

"I have no clue, but it's serious…" Harada whispered.

Up until now Saito had remained quiet, not having contributed to the conversation, but now his silence was broken, "Perhaps this is a relapse of some sort." He stated, "She might've had contracted some sort of disease in he travels. She might be experiencing a relapse of this sickness, and her body might be trying harder to fight it once more. It wouldn't be uncommon for such a thing to happen." He commented, his hands in his sleeves.

"How often do people who relapse end up living through it?" Okita asked.

"… I'm not sure… In my experience, it's one out of three." Saito said a bit lower before he glanced behind him at Mei's room. "I'm sure she shall be fine." He added lightly as he looked over to Okita, who looked less than pleased with their situation.

Their hands were tied. They couldn't do much of anything, but wait for her to either kick the bucket or get better. Okita wouldn't admit it, but he had missed her up and about nagging him and being with him the majority of the day. He hadn't even gotten the chance to spar with her. Whether they noticed or not, Mei had given them a refreshing feeling while usually amongst males. She wasn't as girly or feminine as most would like but she held her own against the captains' insanity and the arrogance of Serizawa. She fed them when it was her turn, served them tea, helped clean, helped spar with the lower ranking soldiers, even helped them on patrols. She hadn't hindered them, making sure she didn't. She took her end of the bargain (being Okita's page) with more dignity than most people on the Earth. Aside from playful joking, she never complained. Compared to the first day they met, she seemed happier… She seemed less guarded… She seemed relaxed. They hadn't even noticed how much time had passed since she had been with them. It had become their general norm to have the young and practically fearless foreigner at their sides or roaming the compound. They were so used to it, now that she was bedridden they just noticed how much she was really there in their lives now. It never crossed their minds in the beginning that she would have such a noticeable role to the point her absence left a little empty feeling in their daily routines.

"I wonder what she's dreaming about…" Okita wondered out loud.

_-dream-_

_"__How long do you plan to sleep, Mei?" A young man asked. The space around he was black as pitch and yet she was perfectly seen, as if a light shined down on her. The man had dark red hair and flaming orange eyes, he was her bother, and a small and warm smile graced his features. "Hiding will not work forever." _

Why not? _Mei thought, but he thought was out loud, as if she had spoken it, and clear for her brother to hear. However, the voice was still of a small child, the small child he last saw. _Why can't I hide…? If I hide they cannot find me… They won't find the swords.

_The man chuckled a bit, softly, and walked over to his sister, crouching down before her. Reaching a hand out he set a gentle touch upon her head, "That is a possibility… But another, is that they will find you… and they will kill your new friends… They will kill you as you lay there practically dead, and will take our swords." He spoke gently but his words carried a heavy weight. _

Friends? _Mei asked confused. The woman sat on the pitch black floor with her knees tucked into her chest. _My new friends?

_"__Are they not your friends? The men of the Roshigumi? Okita Souji, Sanosuke Harada, Saito Hajime, Toudou Heisuke, and many others. Are they not the friends you are afraid will abandon you?" He asked gently as he began to stroke her head. "You need not fear, little sister… If you have chosen them as friends, you must know the chances of them leaving you are very slim. Otherwise you wouldn't have opened up to them…" He cooed gently, as if trying to get her to look up at him. _

_"__Our dearest daughter… You mustn't have your past govern your life in every aspect." Came another male voice. Her father's form slowly becoming detailed and solid just a bit behind her brother. "If you do, you will never be happy… You will never find peace… You will never be able to move forward." He said softly, a smile on his young face. His bright gold eyes filled with warmth for his two children. "I do not wish you the same fate as us, of a young death." _

_A woman with pink hair appeared beside the man like smoke, solidifying once details could be made out. Her mother, "You are the last of my children… I wish to see you happy… To fall in love, just as I did, and live out your life in peaceful happiness…" Her hand found her husbands and laced their fingers together. The couple images were very young, early twenties to say the least. "You must wake up… And make the time you have, to live, count. To live without regrets…" _

_"__They are weak things… And could easily die… But the friends you have made are strong… They will fight to survive… But even the strong must fall, be there for them when they do…" Her father murmured as he gave his wife's hand a tight squeeze._

_"__You haven't used your voice… In so long… I wonder what kind of voice you have been blessed with. When you were younger, remember you used to sing often? I always loved you singing to us, Mei… I'm sure others would be love to hear you speak." Her mother softly pleaded. _

It's cold now… without you all hear… _Mei thought to them, the thought shaky, breaking. _I miss you all… Why?... Why were you all taken away from me?...

_Frowns appeared on all their faces before Lao leaned down and brought the woman, who slowly turned into that small child again, into his arms and hugged her closely. "Our time to die came, there was nothing that could be done… But if you don't wake up, Li will harm your friends… He will hurt others the way he hurt you and us… You can't let him… But you can't continue to be afraid of him… Or you shall meet our fate, so young… Please… Mei… Wake up…" _

_Suddenly, a scream of agony cut through the air like a knife. Mei covered her ears immediately and released a silent whimper of pain. The screech was familiar, and it sent chills along her skin. _It hurts…!

_"__Mei, your friends are in danger…" Her mother stated worriedly, "You have to help them." _

_"__You must wake up…" Her father urged. _

_Suddenly the black turned bright white, and shined brightly till everyone disappeared. _

-Reality-

Mei shot up from her futon in urgency. Her heart beat against her chest, in her ears, and made her head throb. Immediately she remembered what happened that made her wake up and she grabbed onto her blades, dressing into some of her nearby clothes. A white Chinese dress with dark rose pink lining and a dragon embroidered in it. Her movements were in haste, not wanting to waste time. Even though she still had remnants of a fever. _I know this feeling… _She thought to herself. That eerie feeling that clawed down her spine slowly, leaving her body almost stiff with alarm. It was familiar.

As she opened the door she sniffed the air, and looked towards another part of the compound. _Blood… _She thought as she suddenly sprinted off in that direction. She knew that smell all too well, and that scream of agony was in no way normal. It was familiar to her, and it was the scream of someone losing their mind. It was distinct in a way that it could easily be set apart from a man screaming from torture or anguish. _What have they done…? _

"Run for it Ryunosuke!"

_Harada?_

Thinking it would waste precious seconds to run towards the entrance, Mei built up enough speed to jump over the large wall and catch the sight of Ryunosuke in front of a man with glowing red eyes and white hair. She felt her throat tighten and her eyes go wide, _No way… _Pulling both her swords out of their scabbards, Mei cut her palm. _Look this way…! _She thought frantically as her feet gracefully touched the ground.

The man with glowing crimson eyes wasted no time and following the scent of blood to Mei. Looking at her with crazed eyes, too far gone to be saved, he charged at her with excellent speed and ready to slaughter her.

"Mei! MOVE!" All of the men shouted.

But Mei ignored them and a grin spread across her lips, absently, and she lurched forward. One of her swords connected to his before she kicked him back. Causing him to stumble, a small noise that was probably meant to be a chuckle passed her lips before she charged again. Her speed rivalled Saito's and Okita's. Hell, it rivalled all the captain's, who watched in confusion, awe, and surprise. Blocking another attack from the crazed man she kicked him once more before stabbing the man through the heart. Watching his body go limp, and the grin on her face disappearing.

"Mei wait! That guy-"

But Harada was cut off, "It's alright now… Apparently, you can kill them if you pierce them through the heart or behead them." Sanan's voice came from the darkness before he and Kondou emerged from the building.

Mei dropped the limp body of the man onto the ground, none too gently, and earned herself a growl from none other than Hijikata, who came up from behind her only to move passed her and check the body, properly setting the man on his back. Mei gave Hijikata a very hostile glare, her hands gripping her katana and kodachi tightly. Enough to make her knuckles go white.

"Mei, put those away, we're all safe now." Harada urged as he walked over to her, gazing down at the crazed creature on the floor. After some moments his lips pulled into a frown and his brows furrowing in confusion. "That face… I've seen it somewhere before…" He whispered. Slight frustration evident on his features as he couldn't seem to figure out where he had seen that face from.

"Saito. Harada. Sorry to ask, but I'll need you two to take him inside…" HIjikata said before glancing around the courtyard. Scanning the area of who was present to see the whole ordeal. Though in the end his eyes landed upon Mei, who still had yet to sheath her weapons. "Put them away or I'll take them from you." He warned, not in any mood, let alone have the energy, to deal with her.

Mei didn't even move, seemingly to ignore the man. Though the look of **_I dare you _**in her eyes said otherwise. She was in no mood to deal with him, just as much as he was with her.

"If you don't put them away, I'll cut your hands off with them." Hijikata already began to unsheathe his own katana. He stood right in front of her and was ready to fulfill his threat.

"Mei, just put them-" But Harada stopped. Her eyes now were on him, and bore into his with such hostility, with such an intensity that it was the look one would reserve for the enemy.

"Mei." Came a stern growl. This time, it was from a certain green-eyed swordsman. Everyone looked to Okita, who seemed to be giving Mei and equally hostile glare. An awkward silence following them before she turned away and put her swords back in their scabbards.

With a heavy sigh, Hijikata spoke again, "Please, everyone gather in the hallway. We need to talk. That includes you to, Ibuki. Mei. You both witnessed this too." He glanced at them both before leading everyone inside.

Mei delayed back a bit, enough to make eye contact with Serizawa, who gave her an arrogant smirk, and walked inside. _What have they done…? How many must die because of that shit… _She thought bitterly before following everyone inside. Ignoring the gaze of Okita as she slipped inside.

"It was through foreign trade that the Bakafu came across and acquired this medicine referred to as, The Water of Life." Kodo Yukimura stated. "Should you drink this, I'm sure You'll find your abilities on the battlefield to increase exponentially. At the same time, you will obtain remarkable healing abilities. But on the other hand, you will lose the power of thought and any grasp of sanity." The words didn't faze any of the men, and woman, present. In fact, they all looked too deep in thought to even care. They knew what the cost was for that medicine… They had just witnessed Mei kill the end product of a person who took this "medicine".

"Meaning, that the medicine doesn't come without its own peril, huh, Kodo?" Serizawa said, as if the con to the medicine was merely as little as the loss of ink to write.

Kodo didn't look up as he continued, "Indeed… Furthermore, these powers can only be exercised in the dark… We call those who take the medicine… Furies."

Shinpachi murmured something beneath his breath, only few could hear. But at the same moment as he finished, something clicked in Harada's mind. His eyes widening a bit before he looked at Shinpachi.

"Now I remember…" Harada started softly, "That was Isato…"

"Isato?" Heisuke asked a bit confused before it dawned on him, "Hey, wait… Wasn't Isato one of the guys that left Edo with us?" The revelation shocked him. And he looked upset as he looked at his friends for confirmation.

Shinpachi, however, didn't need a confirmation. He remembered the man that left with them. Their friend. "You used one of our pals to test your crazy ass medicine?" He almost growled.

Kondou simply looked at the ground with pained eyes and let out a low frustrated sound. As if mad at himself already.

"He was simply supposed to commit honorable suicide for breaking the code. Ultimately the same thing." Nimi said with that usual arrogant smile on his face. The look and casual tone he held seemed to not only irritate Shinpachi, but also Mei. Who stood in the back of the room in the corner. Her arms crossed over her chest.

"That's no excuse." Shinpachi urged.

However, a deep sigh made all attention draw to Serizawa, "The man didn't die by disembowelment, that's the only difference." He was brushing off the whole situation like it was such a trivial matter. As if they were talking about a child who ruined their brand-new clothes in dirt. As if some man's life didn't just become a price for an experiment.

"Serizawa… When Isato took the medicine, he did not recognize any one of us at all…" Hijikata's voice was soft, yet carried the heavy weight of a burden. Knowing he was partially at fault for allowing such a thing to happen to a friend.

"I agree whole heartedly." Kondou stated.

"However, Dr. Yukimura says, there is still much room for improvement." Nimi countered, as if that justified everything.

But before anyone could say anything to such a flimsy attempt of justification, a loud thud and crack filled the thick and tense air. Everyone turned to the source, who happened to be Mei. Her fist had broken through the wall and blood streamed down onto the floor. "Exactly how will you make the improvements…? How many… Will die… For that cursed liquid!" The raspy, cracking voice, seemed to be loud and echo off the walls, despite its actual sound. The fact she had spoken caught everyone by surprise. "What gives you the right to play god with the lives of other men?" She growled. The more she used her voice, the clearer and stronger it seemed to get. Though it's true sound still a bit distorted by the raspy sound due to its lack of use. "Nothing good will ever come of that liquid! There is no improving it!"

Serizawa gave Mei that same arrogant and calm smile, "It was a direct order straight from the top. Though, an unintelligent woman," He glanced at Hijikata, "Or someone not born into a warrior family would ever understand this logic."

"Someone who can't get his head out of his ass wouldn't understand proper morals, let alone the cost of playing God with lives that are not his own." Mei responded.

"Mei." Okita stated.

"Toshi." Kondou murmured.

"Considering our current standing… It would be inopportune to ignore the will of the shoganate." Sanan stated, though seemed torn about his words.

Mei couldn't believe her ears. _I can't believe what I'm hearing… _She thought in astonishment and yet was not surprised at all. Slamming open the sliding door she walked out of the room, fuming with anger and frustration. _They're Actually … After what they saw… I'm not dealing with this… Not again… _She thought with a growl. Her hands clenched into tight fists and she couldn't help but look at the ground with frustration. She had not place to speak like that… As much as she knew involving themselves with that medicine would only bring madness and suffering, she was not one of them. At best, she was a glorified errand girl.

"Mei hold on…!" Came a familiar voice behind her, followed by the owner of the voice grabbing her hand.

Mei stopped and turned to glare at him. Okita didn't glare back with the same intensity, but lifted up a hand to her forehead. Unfortunately, Mei was in no mood to talk. Harshly pulling her hand away from him, she gave him a look. Silence, as if she didn't just speak not too long ago, was what he heard. But the look in her eyes said everything he needed to know. The frustration, the anger, the anxiety, the disappointment. She wanted to be left alone…

But even now, Okita was still Okita. "Hey, don't give me that look. It's not up to me." He started, "If it were, I'd make Serizawa take it so we all could have an excuse to kill him." He slightly joked, but was mostly serious. Grabbing her wrist again he began to lead her back in the direction of her room, "Sleep the frustration off. We're sparring tomorrow, and I don't want you to be boring because you're sleepy." He half teased. "I get how angry you are… we all are… But you can't keep letting Serizawa see you get so mad… It only makes him want to do things that will get you angry."

Mei followed behind Okita silently, unable to say anything back to him. As much as she just wanted to throw that glass full of that cursed liquid onto the ground, she couldn't. It wasn't her place… And Okita was right, the more she reacted to Serizawa, the more he seemed to enjoy pissing her off. She had to do something though… To prevent anyone else from losing their life to that liquid… She had to do something.

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**Thanks for reviewing, please let me know what you think. I'm sorry if it seems a bit spotty, my computer keyboard likes deleting things. I read this over a few times and I haven't found anything like that but I tend to read pretty fast so I might've missed it.**

**Please follow, favorite, and review. And to the guest who reviewed that her fainting was a bit cliche... I know. But when is there not at least one cliche moment in a fanfiction with really hot guys? If you know one please let me know haha~**

**Love always,**

**Chess**


	9. Almost Too Subtle To Notice

The sound of swords clashing rung in the air, quickly. A crowd had formed around the two that had sparred from wooden swords to their true, lethal, weapons. At first it seemed nothing more than two individuals sparring before it escalated to the two really seemed like they wanted to kill each other, if not simply cause damage. The two jumped back from one another once again, staring down at each other. One with his usual cat-and-cream grin, while the other with her lips tugged into a faint smirk.

Okita placed the flat part of the blade onto the back of his left hand, separating his legs as he readied to attack again. Mei was across from him, feet spread a bit apart, holding out her kodachi in her right hand beside her, pointing the blade at him while her Katana was placed in her right hand with the blade pointed to her left and held up a bit in front of her face. No one moved, no one dared to even speak, the only noise in the air was the faint wind moving the trees and the heavy breaths that the two fighting individuals in the middle of the circle. Then suddenly the two lunged at each other yet again, like many times earlier, Okita was forced to take the offensive immediately once Kusanagi met with his blade. Following the first move, Mei changed the placing of her feet and began to spin on her feet, each time swinging her blade and aiming to cut Okita's torso or legs. Her movements were fluid, precise, quick and sharp. Most of the men in the crowd knew from the moment they had caught sight of their sparring, they would not stand a chance of winning against Mei. Okita held his own, but many of the men began to think Okita has met his match outside of the Roshigumi. Suddenly Mei changed her stance once more, it was too quick for many of the men to follow, but she moved her feet a bit closer together, placing her katana upon her shoulders while she held her kodachi in front of her. In a split second, she moved again and brought the blade that sat upon her shoulders overhead and down to strike down at Okita's head, the blade in her left hand moving behind her. Okita blocked it with little difficulty but barely blocked the next attack as she had brought the first blade down and behind her while the other previously behind her moved for the same attack. Narrowly missing his shoulder, but managing to cut the fabric in the front of his haori as she swung her sword again in a 360 movement.

"She's insane... I've never seen someone, other than Hajime, last this long against Souji…" Heisuke whispered so he didn't disturb the two sparring—rather fighting.

His friends close by to him nodded in agreement.

"You're right… But something about how she fights… Is almost…" Shinpachi trailed off as he began to try to figure out a word to describe Mei's fighting style.

"Impish…" Saito finished as he watched the two fight. "In my opinion, as Souji seems to be enjoying the challenge she brings forth, she looks as if she is having more fun toying with him. As if he is her prey." He watched intently at her movement. The smallest details in her features. He watched her lips struggle to fight off a growing grin. Throwing it to a trick of the light, for a moment it looked like her eyes were glowing. To him she resembled a fox playing with its food. Before he realized it, it was like the whole world slowed down and Mei's eyes locked with his own. It was as if her eyes spoke to him loudly, **_Play with me too. _**Before everything sped up again to normal and she turned her eyes back to Okita. "I recommend we stop them or this shall get out of hand." Saito said, yet all of those he was closest too, all caught the underlining urgency beneath his calm suggestion. His eyes followed her next move and in a blink of an eye he had charged forward.

"Saito?" His friends asked in surprise.

And before anyone could truly register it, the man stood between Okita and Mei, his blade drawn and blocking Mei's Katana which would've pierced Okita's chest if he had not blocked it. While Okita's blade was currently blocking another attack from Mei's kodachi. The impact of Saito's katana meeting Mei's was loud, proving that she was not holding back, and whether absently or intentionally, intending to kill him. "I believe that's enough." Saito advised.

Mei and Okita looked at the man with mixed emotions before they sighed and finally put their weapons away.

"What's wrong Hajime? Why'd you go and get in the way?" Okita asked with a smirk still playing on his lips.

"No particular reason. I just assumed you'd both would've gone for hours if we hadn't stopped you now." Saito stated lightly, sheathing his katana back into his scabbard. Turning away from both of them, he walked off back to where he originally was on the veranda.

"We have to greet the new recruits soon, both of you, hurry up and clean yourselves up. You smell like sweat and dirt." Hijikata stated as he began to walk off in the direction of his room. Though more than likely was going to wait in the room they were to meet the new recruits.

Mei and Okita sniffed themselves a bit before making faces. But right after Mei looked at Okita with an exacting glare. One of which said, **_I call bathing first. _**Easily getting the message she was trying to convey, he put his hands up in a surrendering motion. "Fine. You get to bathe first, but then you have to cook in place of me for lunch today." He smirked as he saw the frustrated look on her face. "Me and Harada will make sure no one walks in on you." He suggested as he already began to walk off. Mei didn't hesitate to follow. Harada not too far behind her.

Mei sighed contently as she laid in the large semi-large Ofuro. However, after some time she had shifted in the water, grabbing a wooden bucket in her hands as she leaned over the edge a bit and dumped the warm water onto her head and soaking her hair. After doing that she found herself leaning back against the Ofuro and sighed deeply. Lifting a hand a bit above her face she gazed at it with half-lidded eyes and a small frown tugging at her lips. Since the incident with the fury, Mei had not talked, and it was like she was constantly fighting something within her. At least that's what Okita and the others who were close to him thought, anyways. And to add salt to the wound, Mei had also seemed more on guard, closer to when they all first met than just mere days ago.

Okita and Harada stood just outside the door in the hall, guarding the bath house to make sure none of the guys wanted to peep on Mei. A couple of incidents where that happened resulted in many of their men almost getting killed.

At the memories, Mei found herself sighing deeply and washing herself down of all the gunk and sweat that accumulated on her body. _These people… Aren't just respectable opponents… They aren't just… Men of the Roshigumi… They're my friends, huh? _She thought back on the words. Whether the images of her deceased family were only dream induced, or the real spirits of those she could not save, their words could've come from their real bodies from how hard Mei took them to heart. _I may see them as friends… But do they see me as a friend too?_

Mei stood at the doorframe a bit with a tray of hot tea, glancing at all the new recruits. Two stood out from the rest by the air they gave off. Other than that, she didn't seem all too impressed by any of them. Once introductions were over she walked over to each of them and handed them some tea. It seemed that some of the new recruits didn't like her clothing, being she was a foreigner and that went against their political stand points, and gave her dirty looks.

"Don't even think about it guys." Okita spoke up, immediately catching onto to those men who glared at Mei. "If you piss her off enough, she will end your life. She wouldn't even need her weapons. On top of that, she's my page. So, lay a hand on her and I'll just have to kill you." He threatened with a playful tone, though those who knew Souji Okita, they'd know his threat was all too serious.

"Souji." Hijikata grumbled.

"Miss Mei is also the Roshigumi's substitute medic. She doesn't know too much, but she knows more than the average person." Sanan interrupted, "So, Yamazaki, I would like you to please work with her. She may have medical knowledge you do not possess, and vice versa. Please take this opportunity to its full potential."

Yamazaki only nodded, sparring the woman a glance, who in turn gave him a small nod then began to walk out.

"Mei, don't forget you're making lunch." Okita called out teasingly, giving the woman a playful smirk.

And in return, it earned him a deep sigh from the woman and a glare. Though she said nothing, she was less than pleased that she was stuck doing his chores. Turning away from him she made her way to the kitchen and put her hair up in a ponytail.

The day went on normally, as if the day they witnessed one of their friends as a fury, witnessed his death, had been nothing but a horrible dream. The only indication that the events of that night ever happened was the missing man, and Mei's almost-too-subtle-to-notice change in her demeanor. She still did everything she did before, but now it was like she gave off a very tiny, underlining predatory vibe off her aura. Very few noticed, Kondou being one of the many who could not tell, thought that wasn't anything new. But those of who did notice, knew she was different. And whatever it was that was happening, seemed to be slowly eating away at her.

Mei made it to the kitchen and easily began making lunch, wasting no time as if she did, Okita would only annoy her with complaining. And she did not want to hear Serizawa or Hijikata's annoying rabbles of her tardiness as they have done before. That night she had witnessed a fury once again made her put up her guard. It made her skin crawl every time she thought about it, remembering those events so clearly. It was like a never-ending nightmare she could not escape from even when her eyes were open. All she saw now in that courtyard was that man's corpse. The brilliant white hair, the bright crimson eyes filled with an unforgettable madness. The stench of blood that invaded her nostrils… The feeling of the crimson liquid on her skin. She wanted so desperately to forget what had happened, to feign ignorance. She was only a page, that was her situation now. She had no right to intervene in what the Roshigumi did… So why couldn't she let it go? She knew that much, yet her mind refused to allow her to suppress those memories.

_I just want to forget… Let me forget… _Mei thought, almost desperately, to any God that would listen. _I have no right to ask for it… But damnit… Let this nightmare end… _But as if to spite her, suddenly she felt a sharp and burning pain crawl down her spine. At first it only made her wince, but it grew excruciating. Tears sprang to her eyes as she backed away from the stove.

_"You don't deserve mercy… Pampered little bitch…" Her uncle growled._

And it was like someone had dragged a burning blade down her spine, agonizingly slow. "St… o… p…" She whispered hoarsely before she turned around quickly. "I don't… want... to… re… mem… ber…" She pleaded as her tears fell down her cheeks. Her breathing slowly becoming ragged and strained, her throat felt like it was tightening. Her chest ached with pain as she could scarcely get enough breath into her lungs, and her back continued to burn. _It's getting worse… Don't think… Don't think about it anymore…! _All that was around her began to distort, to change. And now everything was engulfed in flames, her hands stained with blood, her clothes, and legs as well. Her body was smaller, and her wrists bound together by rope. "Stop…" Her voice shook, heavy with fear and pain. Her head felt heavy as she tried to lift it up, "Stop…!" She spoke louder. As she managed to lift her head, she only met with bright crimson glowing eyes filled with insanity. A large grin beneath it, sharp elongated teeth stained with blood.

_"Blood…"_

"Mei…?!" A concerned and very confused voice broke through her moment of insanity. And the scene before her disappeared into the normal kitchen of the Roshigumi.

Her head snapped up to the owner of the voice, and their stood Harada, eyes wide with worry.

"What's wrong…?! Are you hurt?" Harada slowly approached the woman on the floor, who had been and still was crying. "You just woke up yesterday, you shouldn't strain yourself, and just make Souji do his own chores." He stated as he reached out for her. "You keep making us worry…" He whispered gently before slowly kneeling in front of her, "I'll take over from here, you go rest up okay?" He suggested, slowly helping her to her feet.

Mei didn't say anything, her bangs obscuring her eyes, and only nodded in response. Without saying anything else, or waiting for him to, she bowed her head a bit and rushed out of the kitchen. Not even sparing him a look, not noticing the frown that tugged at his lips.

"Mei…? I need to tell the others… This is bad..." Harada whispered faintly.

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**I'm sorry this chapter sucks so bad ;-; There's no excuse, I shall make it up to all of you next chapter, but I just wanted to update now just in case I won't be able to update for a while since my laptop needs to get fixed. **

**Please Review, Follow, and Favorite.**

**love, **

**Chess**


	10. I'm Truly Sorry

A few days had passed and preparations were made for Serizawa and few select others would be travelling to Osaka. It didn't particularly effect until they had told her that Okita was one of the few going with him, along with Sanan. She had an awful feeling about him going, especially when Serizawa made it a point that she was to remain at the compound "like a good little pup" waiting for her master to return. In retrospect, many saw Mei as a type of handler for Okita over the course of months she had been with the Roshigumi. The realization that months had gone by with her here, all of them were a bit surprise. It seemed like weeks, possibly even less. Sanan leaving as well made her feel a bit unnerved. Not because she disliked or distrusted Sanan, on the contrary, she trusted the man as much as someone in her position could. However, it was Nimi who truly unnerved her, because Sanan was the one who kept him I check. Without him there, she had no doubt in her mind that Nimi would take the opportunity to move the research on the Water of Life more into his preferable direction rather the, at least, more humane, and less reckless route that Sanan had in mind. Many things worried her about the whole situation but even if she had decided to voice her complaints about it, Serizawa would not give her the time of day and she was only a page. By that logic, she had no right.

Breathing out a deep sigh, Mei laid on the grass of the garden she liked. Only because there was a pond and cherry blossom tree closest to her room. It always oddly smelt of lotus flowers for some odd reason, which made her like it more. She had been there for a few hours—the sky having been now stained orange and purple, after having said farewell to her master, and kept her eyes closed. Allowing the breeze of the Kyoto weather glide along her exposed skin. However, a dulling pain along her spine caused her to groan silently and slowly sit up. It came and went more often than she would've liked, and almost always the pain would appear at very less than preferable times. Meaning around others.

Since Harada had found her in the kitchen in such a—frightened state of mind, she started to notice the men of Shiei Hall were acting a bit more, wary of her. Well, wary was as close as she could describe it. They just seemed to always be insistent upon accompanying her places. Hijikata, being the exception as he didn't seem to change much. Only giving her certain looks when he thought she couldn't see. _I'm sure he told them about what happened in the kitchen… _She thought absently. Before she knew it, the pain along her spine disappeared and she returned to her earlier position of laying on the grass. Her mind gave up wondering about the Roshigumi for a while and let it become clear, empty. Simply staring up at the clouds seemed to ease her tense body, but then another thought came to mind. _Yukimura… _Kodo's last name… When she had first heard the name, she was too angered to really have registered it. But when she overheard a meeting between Sanan, Kodo, and Nimi, the name seemed familiar. It struck her with a sense of melancholy, though she wouldn't say it aloud, it made her feel sad. Why? She didn't have a clue.

"Hm? Aren't you one of those men's page? Okita, yes? That was his name."

The sudden voice caught her off guard and she moved quickly from her spot and towards the wall, a hand on Kusanagi as she glared at him.

The owner of the voice was none other than Kodo Yukimura. The bald man with an aging face gave her a look of slight surprise, and an underlining emotion beneath his confused eyes. "I'm terribly sorry, I hadn't meant to frighten you. I was just passing through… However, now that I have you here, would you mind if I ask you a question?" He gave her what would look like an attempt at a nervous smile. "I promise I won't attack you. I'm unarmed and have things, such as a daughter, that I must live for. So please don't expect anything foolish to come from me."

Mei didn't move her hand for a minute or so before she silently sighed and stood up straight, allowing her hand to fall to her side. Giving him an expecting look, she urged him to proceed.

"O-Oh not here. Do you mind if we talk somewhere private? And with ink and paper. The men here have said you're a mute really… And the time we met was the first time they're ever heard you speak up. It sounded painful to force your voice out, and I wouldn't want to trouble you." Kodo said with a lighter smile, now that she had set her hand at her side.

Again, Mei didn't move for some moments before finally she moved from the garden to the veranda and headed towards the common room. Once they reached their destination, Mei lit up some of the lamps and grabbed an ink stone, a brush and paper. Also, setting up some pillows for them both to sit upon instead of the cold wood floors.

Mei waited for the man to sit down first before doing the same and grabbing the brush and paper.

"Well, I was wondering, what is your purpose here? I mean, you're obviously not from Japan originally, and you're not a soldier, yet you had two swords at your side and serve the Roshigumi like a servant." Kodo asked with sincere confusion and curiosity in his expression.

The woman didn't waste a moment to already write the answer to his question. Once she was finished she handed him the paper. **I caused a confrontation with Serizawa, and some of the men proposed that instead of beheading me like he wanted for "disrespecting" him, that I fight against Okita. I lost and the deal was if I lost he'd choose what to do with me and he decided to keep me around as a page and sparring partner. **

"I see…" Kodo murmured as he finished reading. "You seem very literate in Japanese, considering you're from China." He noted lightly before handing her back the paper. "I've heard some things from Serizawa and some of the other soldiers, about your very impressive fighting skills. It's hard to believe that you aren't some sort of assassin or spy sent to the Roshigumi." He inquired.

Mei narrowed her eyes on the man, she didn't like what he was getting at.

"I'm also curious as to where you got your swords from. Family heirlooms, I'm assuming?" Kodo now had a smirk on his face.

Suddenly the brush between her middle and index finger broke in half, beneath the pressure of her thumb. "Keep talking. I dare you." Mei growled hoarsely before quickly standing up, "I don't know what you're getting at, Yukimura, but I don't appreciate you prying. Nor do I appreciate the underlining accusations." She added, setting a hand on Murumasa as she slowly stood. She had a very nauseating feeling about this.

"I wasn't accusing you of anything. I was simply speaking out my observations." Kodo stated. "I would notice a Shi family member when I come across one. Though I never expected you to be here. What brings you to Japan? I would have figured you would be with your family right now. How are they?"

Mei gripped the handle of her katana, enough to make her knuckles white, "They're dead." Her jaw set and she found it increasingly difficult to not draw her sword and cut the man before her, down. "How do you know… My family..."

Kodo seemed genuinely surprised and distraught once those words left her mouth. "They're dead? I had no idea… I'm truly sorry…"

"Give your apology to someone who would give a damn." Mei barked, "Answer my question." What was his connection to her family? They weren't famous or anything, at least not here in Japan. Only a certain community. Most people shouldn't even know they exist. So how could this doctor specialized in western medicine know anything about them.

Kodo looked at her for a long time before he slowly stood up, but he didn't say a word. Not even indicating he had any intention to tell her anything to her question.

And it pissed her off.

But as much as she wanted to cut the man up, she'd be in deep shit with the guys if she were to even lay a scratch on him. So, biting her tongue, she hurried passed him and out the door, heading for the training grounds. The look on his face had made her feel so angry. He looked as if he knew everything about her with that smug look… As if taunting her to do something. But as soon as she mentioned the fate of her family, he looked sincerely distraught. It only caused her anger to flourish to extreme amounts. That's why when she felt someone grab her upper arm she nearly cut them in half, though whoever grabbed her had caught the wrist of the hand that held her katana.

"WOAH MEI!" The grip was tight yet not painful, "It's just me. It's Harada." The owner stated. Harada looked at her with concern written all over his face, "I called out to you like five times, and you didn't answer. I didn't mean to scare you, I promise." He stated lightly.

Once confirming it was someone she knew and not Kodo, her tense muscles relaxed and she slowly put her katana back in its scabbard once he released her from his grasp. Letting out a silent sight she turned to him, "Sorry…" Her voice still soft and strained as she barely had used it. Her vocal chords trying to adjust to being used once more after such a long time of inactivity.

Harada frowned a bit before smiling at her apology, "You'll be forgiven if you tell me why you were so upset. Once Okita and Serizawa left all of us figured you'd actually have some time to not get so annoyed and pissed." He half joked, trying to lighten up her mood. And he found his smile widening a bit as it seemed to work. His eyes on the soft smile that had formed on her lips before going back to her eyes. The man was observant, and he caught the light, almost-too-faint-to-see stains of ink on her writing hand, and the redness of her left hand from gripping her katana handle so tightly. "Were you talking with someone earlier? Are they the reason that you were upset?" He saw her jaw set, and she didn't even have to say it aloud to confirm his assumption. "Who was it?"

Mei closed her eyes as she tried to push down the bubbling anger that began to form again, before speaking, "Yukimura." She grumbled.

"Hm? What did he do? Or was it something he said?" Harada asked.

Mei contemplated on how much she could say to him, and she thought maybe he could tell her contemplation as he set his hand on her head.

"I can keep a secret Mei, trust me."

Chewing on her bottom lip for a few seconds, that seemed to help her make up her mind. So taking a deep breath she closed her eyes once more, before releasing a deep groan of frustration, "First off I was sitting in the gardens then all of a sudden he wants to ask me a question. But not outside, no, he wanted to speak privately so trying to be as hospitable as I can be in my position I agree and we go to the common room. He asks me why I'm here so I tell him. It's not like it's a fucking secret. But then he starts accusing ME of being some sort of SPY or ASSASSIN sent by God-Knows-Who to the Roshigumi. Oh, and it gets better, this QUACK doctor starts to bring up my family! PERSONAL QUESTION THANK YOU." She had decided against going into too much detail and opted to keeping the information of how Kodo seemed to know her family, or anything of that sort. At this point her voice seemed to get used to being used due to her shouting, only cracking and becoming hoarse every so often. But it wasn't up to strength so she wasn't all too loud, not enough to bring more attention to herself.

Harada now seemed to sympathize with the woman, frowning at what he heard from her. "He did that? I don't see how you're any of his business. And why would he be asking you personal stuff like that?" He seemed more confused than upset, though probably because he wasn't the one being pried at. Mei was fuming. If it were possible, he was sure there would be steam coming out of her ears. Her arms crossed over chest and he noted the woman digging her nails into her skin. "Hey, Mei…! Don't do that…!" He stated a bit urgently as he reached out and pulled the woman's hands from her arms. Small crescents now imprinted on her skin. "Geez…" Sighing he thought for a moment what he could do to relax the woman. He felt she already got stressed out enough with Serizawa and Okita around, she didn't need some outside doctor to make upset and stressed out to this degree. After a few silent moments, Harada smiled and released her wrists. "Hey, why don't we go out for a drink? You need it."

Mei looked at Harada a bit quizzically, but the prospect of getting to relax and forget all worries for a bit seemed all too pleasing to pass up. So, after a few seconds she nodded, "Alright…"

"Great… Shimabara is the only place I can think of with really good Sake, if you don't mind it. Otherwise we can just grab some tea." Harada said lightly. He was glad he could help her in some way, knowing when Okita and Serizawa got back she'd be getting stressed out often again.

"Shimabara is fine… They don't seem to hate foreigners. Just people who can't pay." Mei murmured a bit jokingly before looking at him expectantly, "Lead the way."

"Right." He smiled.

-later-

As Mei mentioned, the people at Shimabara weren't any less pleasant towards her presence as they would with any other customer. In fact, they seemed to know her, very happy to see her, and every so often a geiko would stop and say hi to her before they'd enter the room of their patron for the night.

"You seem really popular." Harada chuckled a bit. Being as observant as he was, he didn't miss the evident affection she received. Though it would take someone truly ignorant and oblivious to not notice.

"I came here often before encountering Serizawa. They would put me up here for some nights, and in exchange I'd help teach the women and girls here other ways to entertain their guests." Mei stated lightly before they walked into a room with beautifully intricate designs decorating the doors and walls. The doors leading to the balcony wide open and letting the cool breeze to enter the room. "I've also helped with their less than pleasurable patrons."

"I feel like you mean you beat them up." Harada chuckled as he sat down.

Mei sat across from him, setting her swords down beside her, and chuckled, "Not really. Just kicked them out." She shrugged, though knowing her temper, it was anyone's guess as to how she kicked them out.

The room already had warm Sake waiting for them so they didn't waste time to pour themselves a cup and begin taking small sips of the drink. Mei's muscles relaxed as soon as she felt the warm liquid slip down her throat, relaxing her nerves. She couldn't remember when was the last time she had been able to sit beside someone and enjoy one another's company. When she really thought about it, she couldn't really remember ever letting someone get this close to her, let alone view them as a friend. Despite knowing they all still were wary of her to a certain degree, and reasonably so, she saw them as friends. Reliable. _When was the last time I was this relaxed? _She thought gently before taking another sip.

The silence between them wasn't at all awkward. It was a peaceful silence that made people in its reach feel content with it. It was warm and comfortable, and invited anyone to start conversation whenever they pleased. And after some time of this silence surrounding them, Harada spoke first.

"How does it feel speaking? I'm sure it'll sound warmer when you use it more and it isn't straining." Harada mused lightly.

"Maybe…" Mei replied gently before taking another sip. As she pulled the cup away from her lips she stared at her reflection in what was left of the Sake, speaking slowly, "You told them about what happened in the kitchen… Didn't you." Her words were not spoken as if a question. More like a statement that waited to be confirmed. She wasn't an idiot, and she knew that Harada didn't feel that she was either.

A small, apologetic smile tugged at his lips, "Yes…" He didn't say anything more to elaborate on the topic.

"What did they say?"

Harada looked at Mei, realizing she was looking back at him and no longer gazing into the sake in her cup. Her chewed on his lip in thought for some time, contemplating as she did before, whether to say it all or outline it with as little detail as possible. Once he made up his mind, he took a sip of his alcohol before speaking. "We all agree that something happened to you in the past that's eating away at you… We just don't know what we can do for you… I mean, you're not part of the Roshigumi really… But you help us out a lot. So, we wouldn't want to have to force you off the compound or kill you for being a hindrance… And you worry some of us…" His last few words came out in almost a whisper as his voice died out.

At first, Mei didn't say anything for a long time. She didn't know how to respond to his words initially so she sat there and gazed out the balcony and at the setting sun instead. How could she properly respond to that? It's not like anyone cared before… Then again, those episodes didn't happen often either, and usually when she was sleeping. Shaking her head, she opted not to say anything in the end. Pouring herself another cup of sake and downing it in one gulp before laying down on her side, her arm propping up and setting her head on her hand. She drank like that for the rest of the night. The silence that enveloped the room afterwards wasn't awkward as she thought it would be. That warm silence from before was filled it and neither of them seeming to mind. A smile gracing their lips as they absently enjoyed the others company and reminisced silently of happier times in the past.


	11. Upset

_"You should use your voice more often. I mean… You want it to get better, right?" Harada asked as he just finished another cup of sake._

The night was relatively relaxing and had indeed calmed the woman down after being pushed to such a degree of anger. Mei felt much better even when they got back and ran into the man who had angered her in the first place. Harada bid her goodnight and disappeared off into the compound towards his room.

The day had ended on such a good note…

So why couldn't the next day bring only good as well to compensate the horrid day before.

Mei was in the courtyard practicing with Murumasa when they had arrived back to the compound.

"Serizawa! Wait!" Kondou's voice boomed with disagreement and harshness. He was evidently upset, and that is what had crushed her hopes of another good day.

_Why? What happened over there? _Mei thought as she sheathed her katana and rushed over to the entrance. When she had arrived however, most of the returning men had drawn down expressions, Okita being the soul exception. He had something to do with what had happened, because if it was just Serizawa that made Kondou so upset, Okita wouldn't have stood for it with a smirk on his face. That's what she came to in conclusion. He was a part of it and didn't seem to think he did anything wrong. She stomped over to her master and crossed her arms over her chest, physically expressing her dismay. Her jaw set and her eyes were narrowed as her brows furrowed. Her lips tugged down into a grimace and she evidently wasn't in the mood for his antics, so it would have been in his best interest not to try and beat around the bush or dodge the question.

"Serizawa… and Okita… They…" Sanan spoke gently, though he was just as upset about the situation as Kondou, "They got into a scuffle with some of the sumo wrestlers there… and… and they struck down the unarmed men."

"They did what?!" Hijikata's eyes were wide as he stared at his friend with shock and horror. How could this have happened? All eyes now turned to Okita, who stared down at Mei.

The two were locked into one another eyes, though the emotions in them contrasted greatly against the others. Mei was now fully and utterly pissed with Okita.

_HOW COULD HE?! THIS LITTLE BRAT! _Mei thought as she found her eyes turning cold. She wasn't gonna back down but when a hand slowly set upon her shoulder, she tore away her gaze to look up at Hijikata.

"Everyone… Courtyard. Now. You too Mei." Hijikata said before already beginning to walk off. Mei glared at Okita once more before following behind the dark-haired man, the rest doing the same not long after. The tension though, didn't stay behind, and instead hung around the group like a compressing cloud that threatened to suffocate them.

When they finally reached the court yard, those who had gone with them recounted the events that led up to Okita and Serizawa cutting down unarmed men. By then, the sun had begun to set and many frowns were on their faces, of course Okita being the only exception.

"If only I had never taken my eyes off Serizawa…" Kondou murmured beneath his breath.

"Come on… Me and Serizawa were not in the wrong here. Those guys were totally itching for a fight." Okita defended.

"And none of us could openly defy Serizawa's orders…" Sanan mumbled as he pushed up his glasses.

"I don't give a shit about your excuses! So, what if they wanted to pick a fight? Why the hell did you draw your sword against unarmed men?" Hijikata's voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. He was in no mood for excuses.

"Then it's settled. I'll spill my guts for straying from the path of the warrior." Okita said plainly.

That moment, something snapped inside Mei. Her eyes went wide, though her bangs kept anyone who wasn't really paying attention to her from seeing that, and she found that her grip on her katana had turned her knuckles white. Her body had yet to fully recover from all that she had been through, so this kind of strain wasn't the best for her, but how could she ignore those words. _I should leave. _Mei thought but her body refused to listen. Instead her eyes began to sting and she opened her mouth, words spilling past her lips of their own free will, "YOU BASTARD! YOU SELFISH, CHILDISH, BASTARD!" And as soon as those words slipped out with a roar of unmistakable anger, suddenly her fists had connected harshly to his cheek.

The men around her froze in shock, Okita more so than anyone. His face had turned to the side due to the force in her punch, causing him to also stumble backwards.

"FOR ONCE COULD YOU THINK ABOUT THE TROUBLE YOU HAVE, WOULD, AND WILL CAUSE EVERYONE?! ALL YOU DO IS THINK ABOUT YOURSELF AND NOT THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR FUCKING ACTIONS!" Mei rushed over, punching him once again square in the jaw. The force making him stumble backwards, "WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GROW UP OKITA! JUST BECAUSE YOU **THINK **YOU'RE READY TO SPILL YOU GUTS AS PUNISHMENT DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN THING HERE! THIS MESS ISN'T GONNA BE RESOLVED WITH YOUR DEATH SO SHOVE IT! ONE OF THESE DAYS YOUR IMPULSIVE AND SELFISH ACTIONS ARE GONNA COST YOUR FRIENDS THEIR LIVES!" Her cheeks were red with anger, and the tears streaming down her face were unmistakable. For a moment, it was like her eyes glowed with fury.

The first few weeks of having Mei, none of them would've guessed the woman could show such anger. She was usually so composed and could easily hide her emotions, but something about what Okita had said or done must've struck home for her and made her completely lose it. That's what everyone felt.

"YOU'RE SO DAMN ANNOYING!" Mei growled as she aimed to hit him again, only for Saito to step between them and grab her wrists.

"I think that's quite enough… You must cool down." Saito stated, his grip on her like steel.

Mei only looked at him with a glare before roughly pulling her hands away, "Tch." She didn't spare another moment showing the men her tear streaked face, turning on her heels she put her head down and walked off quickly. She didn't hear any footsteps behind her and concluded no one was following her. _I want to kill something… _Was all she thought as she disappeared off into some part of the compound.

Mei knew more than anyone what her position was. She was Okita's page, not a soldier, yet in that moment when Okita said those words she couldn't stop her anger. The men she had come to know had all been more than lenient with her and her position and let her do things most pages wouldn't be allowed to. If anything, she was simply a glorified errand girl for Okita. That was the reality for her. She wasn't his friend. She wasn't dear to him. She was a page, a sparring partner.

With a deep sigh the woman stopped walking and found herself at that garden she loved. Her eyes widened a bit before softening at the small yet elegant garden and decided to sit down on the veranda. "I remember this feeling…" She whispered faintly to herself as she stared at the grass.

_"Have faith in me okay? If I do die, then they would take the family swords… We don't want that, right?" _

_"I love you… Protect these with your life, Mei… You're the last of the family I can trust with these… now Run!" _

Mei slowly wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing her arms as she felt more tears irritate her eyes. _I hate this feeling… Those words back then… Made me feel the same… _She couldn't comprehend that feeling then, as a small child, but she could at least know what it was now. It was the fear of being left behind… Of being alone. If Okita died now, there wouldn't be any reason to keep her here. She had no imperative purpose there, she was only kept with them on Okita's whim. At first the only appealing idea about that was that she could live. It never occurred to her that she'd enjoy it… Being with the Roshigumi allowed her to feel safe, and allowed her to open a bit. Years and years of solitude had caused her heart to grow cold, but now that she was with them she found the ice melting so gradually she hadn't noticed until now. She found that wall she had built around her to hide her emotions was now chipped away and nearly gone. She was strong, there was no doubt, but because of that it was easily forgettable in the heat of the moment that she was a woman. A woman a bit more sensitive to the carelessness of those she cared for, than others. She was new to caring again, having not cared for anyone since the death of her family and friends. "Cruel…" She whispered hoarsely before taking off her swords and hugging them to her person. "You both are the same... cruel…" The salt in her tears made her eyes burn but she couldn't bring herself to raise a hand to wipe them away. Standing to her feet, she walked over to the grass and laid down beneath the darkening sky. She tried to calm herself down, to regulate her breathing and to stop the silent sobs that shook her shoulders. It didn't take too long for her to fall asleep, tightly hugging her swords.

-Dream-

_"Mama, why don't we use the same weapons as most other families do?" Lao asked as he sheathed Murumasa._

_"You mean the Dao's and such?" Their mother relied with a small smile. She was dressed in an elegant pale pink Daxiushan, a formal wear for high status women. Mostly royal women. Her dark pink hair was long and she ran her fingers through it before brushing it with a black comb with gold designs. A very young Mei was in their mothers lap, watching her brother practice with the two swords. _

_"It's because your mother is from Japan. I thought she would appreciate that we let you learn swordplay with a katana and kodachi. They seem more efficient anyways, so I don't see an issue with it." Their father spoke now, a smile on his face. His clothing was a Shenyi, and the reason their mother didn't wear the equivalent was because she felt it wasn't as pretty. _

_Lao crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, "They're more efficient that's for sure. Is that why you taught us Japanese too?" He asked, to which his mother nodded. After a few moments of silence, he turned to his mother who now played with his sister's hair, "Mama, I didn't know you were Japanese." _

_"Truth be told, I didn't know at first either." Their father muttered as he gave his wife a glance. _

_Their mother only laughed before lifting Mei up into her arms and cradling her to her chest a bit, "Mhm, I was working as a Courtesan when your father came in for a drink. Before I could even notice he came in almost every day, just to see me." She mused as she gazed up at her husband. "It had been that way for a few months before he asked to marry him. That's when I told him he'd have to ask my parents, even if my answer was yes." _

_"They were a bit apprehensive at first, but after visiting them in Japan for a month they had grown to like me and they said yes."_

_"The fact my sister had wanted to get married to the man she loved too probably helped." Their mother chuckled. _

_Her husband nodded and sat beside her, beckoning his son to join them and relax for a bit from training. _

_Lao gladly set the swords down on the stands and walked over to his family. Sitting at his father's side he reached out and grabbed Mei's small hand, to which the small 6-year old smiled. _

_"Oh! How come we weren't invited!" Came two sudden female voices. Dressed in similar styles of clothing as their mother, were Mei and Lao's sisters. A pair of twins with their mother's dark pink hair. _

_"Kou, Ai, come here too. We're just sitting down." Their mother smiled a bit before looking back down at Mei, her youngest. _

_The two smiled and walked over, Ai sat down beside their mother while Kou sat down on the steps between her fathers and mother's legs. Laying her head on her mother's lap as her father began to gently stroke her hair. _

_"Mama, because your Japanese, is that also why you give all the girls Japanese names?" Lao asked suddenly as he realized his sisters had Japanese names. _

_"Mhm. Your father then gives all my sons boy names." _

_"Lao! Get Mei out of here! Both of you need to run!" Ai shouted as she took a fighting stance and locked swords with a man with white hair and glowing crimson eyes. _

_Kou did the same, raising her sword to strike down one of the men with white hair and red eyes. "Protect Mei, Lao! Make sure that man doesn't get his hands on either of the swords or Mei! We'll meet you at the safe place!"_

_"I can't just leave my little sisters-"_

_"GO LAO! MEI!"_

_Lao's jaw set before he grabbed Mei's hand, "You two better not die or I'll be pissed!" He growled as he then began to run away with Mei in tow. They didn't get far when they heard a shriek of horror of Ai's name from Kou. The iron smell of blood had filled their once beautiful home, and was slowly being engulfed in flames. _

_Everything went black and then there was a sharp and burning pain down Mei's back. A scream ripped past her lips._

-Reality-

Mei shot up with a short scream of pain. Sitting up she clutched her swords close to her chest. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as the pain in her dream had followed her out into reality, though for only a few moments before slowly numbing away into nothing.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Mei quickly turned around to see Harada and Okita. Confused, she quickly turned back away from them and wiped away her tears furiously. "NO."

"Mei… You're a horrible liar when you wake up." Okita stated as he watched his page fruitlessly try and hide the fact she was crying. Saito mentioned she had tears in her eyes the evening before when she snapped at him. OKita was the only not to have seen them since his hair was covering most of his vision.

Mei had pushed away most of her memories of her childhood deep into the depths of her mind. _I guess my time here is making me remember them… _She thought absently before she looked around again. It was morning, and the mornings breeze made her quite chilled.

"You'll get sick if you stay out like that any longer." Harada advised before walking over to her.

Okita only stood up back on the Veranda, thinking as his eyes gazed at his page's form. With a sigh, he turned to one end of the veranda and crossed his arms over his chest, "Sorry." Then quickly strode off to some part of the compound.

Harada and Mei looked in the direction OKita had left in, with pure surprise in their eyes. In all her time being with them, Okita never said sorry so seriously to anyone other than Kondou. _He must have really meant it then… _Mei thought as she slowly stood to her feet. The sound of Harada chuckling brought her out of her daze. Blinking in confusion, she turned to the spearman, "What?"

"He probably realized just how upset he made you." Harada chuckled before looking down at Mei, "We were looking for you because he wanted to see why you punched him. He wouldn't have believed us if we told him so I decided to help him look. Since you weren't in your room I figured you were here. Told him this is where you go when you're usually infuriated." He chuckled.

"Well I was! He doesn't realize the mess he leaves behind for everyone else to clean up! Dying doesn't help anyone." Mei growled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Silence surrounded them for a few minutes before she felt his large hand gently set upon her head, "Your voice sounds prettier now that it's starting to lose its raspyness…" He smiled before it fell. "What was your nightmare about…?" Harada asked, a softness to his voice. The same softness she heard when they talked about her past before. He knew it was something that made her upset enough to cry, and for her to scream. He felt it was better to talk about it rather than hold it in, unless they wanted another incident with Mei punching somebody, and that somebody might be Serizawa.

Mei didn't speak at first, only putting her swords back at her sides as she gazed at the ground. When she did speak, her voice was small, "My family… I was dreaming about… When my mom told us she was Japanese, and that's why we learned some Japanese culture, used Japanese weapons, and why me and my sisters had Japanese names…" Suddenly her jaw set and her hand absently gripped at her Katana, "Then… I remembered the day Li had attacked… My home was engulfed in flames… Furies… Were running amuck in my house… Killed my sisters… My Brothers… And my brother's wife…" She stated with evident hatred dripping off her words.

"You don't have to get worked up over it Mei… The angrier you get by just the thought of it… He'll overpower you when you two cross swords again." Harada stated, "If you want to beat him and make him pay for his crimes, you have to keep a level head to outsmart him. Also, this time you have the rest of us with you to help." He chuckled.

Mei froze, eyes widening. His words struck something in her heart and suddenly she felt… Lighter.

"That man sounds like he'll come back to take your swords, but this time you'll have us to watch your back. Okita especially." A grin came to the spearman's face, "He won't admit it but he was more worried about you when you got sick more than anyone. He tried to say it was because he preferred you as a sparring partner and getting him tea when he was lazy, but he was pacing and snapping at the doctor who came in to help you. Even snapped at Serizawa more because that man kept trying to kick you out." Harada pulled away his hand and made his way back to the veranda, "Don't worry, we won't let Serizawa kick you out or anything." His smile was warm, promising his word.

Without having to think about it, "Thanks…" A blush was on her cheeks, embarrassment clear in her voice. How long had it been… Seen she last felt so warm…?

With her answer, Harada nodded and walked off to see If he could talk to Hijikata, he had something to ask of him.

Mei remembered she was still wearing the clothes from yesterday and felt a bit gross by it, so she went off to go change. Luckily it wasn't her turn to cook so she didn't have to worry about starving the others today. As she walked she allowed her mind to wander, a hand absently placing upon the fabric above her heart. It had been years since she had last felt warm. It had been years since she's allowed herself to move on impulse, to allow her anger to move her.

"You're Mei yes?"

The woman stopped in her tracks, turning to the voice. She was surprised at first, being that she'd never would've suspected the one to call her was recently new, Yamazaki. "… Yes?"

"I'd like to ask you a question."

That alone made her tense as the last time someone said that they pissed her off, but she'd get in trouble if she was rude to the man for no reason and she didn't have the energy to listen to Hijikata scold her. "Alright, what is it?"

Yamazaki's expression did not change, "You're obviously not a soldier here, so why are you here exactly? I know you're Okita's page but the stories I've heard about you, you've had more than one chance to escape. You were originally brought here against your will as a captive, right? So-"

"Because it's not like I have anywhere else to go." Mei cut him off.

"I may not be a soldier, but I can fight. This may not be a place where I belong but it's not like I have a home to go back to if I leave." Mei stated as she began to turn away, "This place isn't that bad either…" And with that, she walked off. It peeved her a little bit that someone, most likely Kondou, had told him her situation here, but what peeved her more was the fact the guy asked why she was there. Was it bad? If it was the guys could tell her themselves. She didn't need someone else who didn't know a thing about her to start questioning her presence. "I'm getting too upset easily…" She said exasperated, running a hand through her hair.

* * *

**Hey, guys! Thanks for following, favoriting and reviewing! It means a lot~ **

**Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit scattered, my computer has been being gross and making a mess of things I want to write, so if I missed some things when checking this please tell me. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Another reason why I didn't post this up for a while was because anime and games have got me bad. Touken Ranbou, Bungou Stray Dogs, Hakuouki's new game coming out-ugh my life is a mess.  
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**Love, Chess.**


	12. We Care

Mei sighed a bit as she made her way to Okita's room, feeling she should've at least checked to see if his jaw was okay. She had punched him especially hard. _He deserved it, but if he's in serious pain I'll get an earful from Hijikata… _Just the thought of having to listen to the Demon of a man bitching at her made her exhausted already.

It didn't take her long to reach the man's quarters, so with a soft knock against the wood she made her presence known. "Okita… Can I come in?" She asked lightly, waiting for a reply.

"Yeah."

Mei slowly opened the door before entering his room, closing it behind her. Her eyes scanned the room a bit before they settled upon the man sitting by his desk polishing his Katana by the open window. _Typical. _Was the first thought that came to mind as she then noticed his usual smirk on his face. The page walked further into the room before kneeling beside him and reaching a hand out. For some reason, she couldn't find her voice now. She couldn't bring herself to speak. So, she silently asked him, _let me look at your jaw. _

Okita stopped polishing his blade as he saw her kneel beside him, watching her hand as it neared the swollen parts of his jaw that had already begun to bruise. With a light sigh, he set his Katana away and allowed her to do as she please, "Get on with it already, Mei."

Mei was a bit grateful to him for not making her talk, and knowing what she silently said. As much as she liked speaking again, she was glad someone could tell what she wanted to say just from her silence. Her cold fingers glided a bit along the soft tissue with a gentleness she always had when treating injuries, and her eyes were soft as she felt a small pang of guilt in her chest.

And Okita somehow knew it. "Don't feel guilty now, Mei. It's not like you, and it's kind of creepy. ~" The Man teased.

Mei growled and wrapped a hand around his neck as she silently sneered at him. And just like that, the tenseness in the air was gone… A phenomenon that happened often when the two were alone like this. Despite her annoyance with his teasing, she couldn't help the warm feeling that intertwined with it. After some moments passed, she released him and crossed her arms over her chest with a pout and huff, turning away from him.

Okita could only laugh as she had gotten mad at him, and laughed even more when she pouted and turned away. "Oh come on, don't be like that, pup~" When the woman didn't even turn to look at him he tugged on a lock of her hair. "You know it's a little annoying that you'll talk to Harada about yourself, but I'm your master and you barely talk to me." He grumbled a bit, looking at the woman with a bit of whimsy and annoyance in his eyes. "Look at me, because I have some questions for you."

Mei reluctantly did as told, releasing a small yelp as the man grabbed her chin a bit and made her look directly into his eyes, bringing her closer in the process. His eyes narrowing warningly and grew just a bit sharper.

"Don't lie to me… Or I'll kill you. Got it?"

Mei didn't flinch away, nor did she respond verbally. The woman simply looked at her master with leveled eyes, though for a moment it seemed she had the intent to kill him.

"Speak up."

"I hear you, Okita." His page murmured before moving away from the mans grasp, "What is it?" She asked as she leaned back against the wall a bit with a calculated gaze on her master. She set her precious swords to the side as she tried to physically convey he held her full attention. If she hadn't, she was pretty sure he would've told her to do so anyways. "Well?"

"… What are your nightmares about?... why do they scare you so much?" Okita asked. "And don't tell me you can't talk about it since I know you talk to Harada about it and you screamed at me pretty clearly in the courtyard."

"My nightmares…" They were nothing short of horrible memories that haunted her. They were a reminder that she is weak. That she was always protected. That she cost her brother his life. They weren't a secret, really, she was just never really comfortable with talking about them, _but maybe that's changed with them… _she thought.

"… They're memories… of my past…" Mei admitted after her moments of silence, now her gaze downcast, refusing to look up at the man in the room. "My home… and family… were taken away from me… my sisters… brothers… parents… friends… everyone… and everything was ripped away from me… except these swords… most of the nightmares… are of the night it all happened… the night my brother gave me the swords that were supposed to be handed to him, so he could run off and buy me time to run and hide…" She found herself digging her nails into her palms as she recollected that nightmare in pieces. "They don't scare me as much… as they're painful…"

Okita stayed silent as he waited for her to finish, "… Then that guy who's after your swords is the one who orchestrated all of that?"

Mei didn't say a word, but she knew her silence confirmed his statement. It was all that man's fault. He ripped everything away from her, and she swore on her life that he'd pay for what he did.

"Well, guess that means I'll have to kill him."

_What...?_

Mei slowly looked up to see her masters smirking face staring down at her.

"What? No one does something like that to my page and gets away with it. I'm sure the guys feel the same way." Okita stated before looking out the window again, "Plus I really don't like the look he gave me last time."

_"He probably realized how upset he made you." _

_"That man sounds like he'll come back to take your swords, but this time you'll have us to watch your back. Okita especially."_

Mei couldn't help but remember Harada's words to her. Like many times since she had arrived at the compound, a smile found its way to her lips and she couldn't stop the words from leaving her lips, "Scary…"

Okita glanced at the woman at his side with his usual smirk playing about on his lips.

The woman bowed her head to her master before politely excusing herself from the room, taking her swords with her. She lingered just outside the door of his room on the veranda for a few long moments before leaving down and walking towards the courtyard. As much as she'd like to say she could, she couldn't stop the smile that tugged at her lips and the soft look in her eyes as she looked at the ground while she walked. She couldn't think of any of the negative thoughts that had been often plaguing her for years. No, they were all blurred and pushed away by the warmth that some of the members of the Roshigumi had given her. The sense of security she had missed.

The next few days weren't particularly eventful but also not particularly free either. Everyone was leisurely doing work during the days and nothing was super urgent. There were no fights or issues that needed to be mended, except for maybe Ibuki since the poor boy was a page himself for the "oh so great" Serizawa. Even Mei had seemed to have returned to her old self, doing the works of a page and Okita's sparring partner when Saito wasn't around. Her small, silent comments going unheard by most, not including the six or seven certain members that she was found with much of the time.

She didn't know that those peaceful days were numbered. If she did, maybe she would've done and said some things differently. Maybe she would've left before she would've grown so attached… No one will ever know what should've, could've and would've happened if she knew then what she would learn later. A sick practical joke from God, as her punishment.

~Dream~

_There was blood, everywhere. _

_"Where did you hide the swords, Mei…? You can tell me-"_

_"YOU KILLED EVERYONE! I WON'T TELL YOU ANYTHING!" The11-year old girl shouted as she tugged against the chains that held her arms up, her toes barely touching the floor. Her head hanging low s she refused to look up at those that surrounded her._

_There was an exasperated sigh before the man spoke once more, "Do you just crave painful punishment?" He asked before he tore an agonized scream from the girl's lips. The rattling of her chains mingling in with her voice. Blood was splattered and dripping onto the floor now. Her blood. "If you just tell us this will all be over, Mei." _

_Biting her lip, she let her tears silently slide down her cheeks before they fell onto the floor too. She couldn't let him have those swords. Lao died for them, for her. And this man took away her childhood, her peaceful life. "You can rip me apart, you can tear off my skin, you can do anything… And you still won't get those swords, Li…" The girl grinned as she slowly looked up from the floor. "What's with that look Li, scared?... What kind of Shi would I be, if I let someone with disgusting hands like yours, touch my precious family possessions? You, who uses Guǐzi, touching sacred swords? I'd rather swallow nails…" _

_A Guǐzi laugh suddenly cut through the air._

Mei jolted up from bed as she heard a familiar, bone chilling laugh. A Guǐzi, or rather—a fury. Immediately she grabbed her Katana and slipped on a plain black haori over her robe before walking out of her room and smelling the air. Seconds passed before she turned her head down the hall and narrowed her eyes, within moments her body moved on instinct and rushed silently down the hall. A grin made her way to her lips as she unsheathed her Katana aaimed to slice down the back of the fury that was in the courtyard.

It dodged.

There was no disappointment or anger. Just amusement. "I'll kill you…" She whispered as she licked her lips.

The fury charged at her, dodging her attack which would've cut off his arm. Instead he managed to cut her cheek and back. Now he struck something. Whatever it was, it snapped inside Mei. And it wasn't good.

"Anyone ever tell you, don't put your hands on a woman?" Mei whispered a bit annoyed, the smell of her blood reaching her senses. It was like all that was in the world was her and that fury, as she did not hear the voices of her friends shouting in the distance. She moved quickly, "Let's play~" She cooed as she slashed the fury's chest before cutting off its arm. She did not care if it was once a Roshigumi member or if it was some common criminal Nimi found on the streets. She had no sympathy for the fury.

The fury immediately grabbed the sword and tried to rip it from her grasp, but was met with something surprising. Her strength over the sword was like Iron.

And she took her chance to cut through his hand while he was caught by surprise and freed her Katana. "You're no fun without a weapon." She stated before plunging the blade through his chest. Blood splattering onto her face a bit and staining her clothes. She watched with cold and disappointed eyes as he fell to the floor once she pulled the blade back out. She stared down at the fury as if she was staring down an insect. With disgust. The noises around her slowly started to fade back into her ears, but she didn't even notice until-

"Mei!"

Looking up quickly she saw Heisuke, Shinpachi, Saitou and a few other familiar faces running into the courtyard. That's when she noticed Ryunosuke near the door, looking at her with surprise. Her eyes widened for a moment before they looked back at the approaching group.

"Mei! Are you okay?" Heisuke asked as he noticed she had blood on her clothes, and a cut on her cheek.

Mei only smiled before nodding. She looked back down at the fury before using her haori to wipe off the blood on her Katana then sheathing it.

"Come on Mei, remember you need to start getting used to using your voice again." Heisuke stated before he glanced at the fury as well.

"I'm fine… Just a few scratches." Mei chuckled before looking past the group and at Nimi, who stood back some ways away. She didn't like him. Never did. Never will. He didn't seem to care for anything but status and that was something that was proving to a danger to her friends and herself. "Do you mind, keeping better track of your experiments, Nimi? You may be mistaken for one next time they run loose." She threatened a bit lowkey, before walking off back towards her room.

"Mei! Your back!" Shinpachi called out.

"I'll patch myself up, I'm fine." Mei waved her hand a bit before she disappeared down the hall and back into her room. For a few seconds, she didn't move away from the closed door. She stared into the darkness of the room, and felt it stare back at her. "… Jun… I know you're there. It's easy to sense your presence. I thought I told Lan to help you with that…"

"I'm sorry…" Came a female voice from the corner of the room with the thickest shadows. "When we couldn't find you, we stopped practicing… What are you doing here?" The woman whispered as there was some shuffling in that area. "It's good to hear your voice again…"

"… I'm taking a break… So should you and Lan…" Mei murmured as she walked to her futon and set her Katana down beside it.

"But Mei…!" The other, Jun, hissed, "What about Li? You weren't supposed to get captured by the Roshigumi-"

"I Know. Don't patronize me since I'm the one who decided what I was gonna do with my life."

"You're putting people in unnecessary danger, Mei. We've been searching for you for 11 years and this- this is what happens to you?" Jun growled, "Your family raised you better than to get others-"

"DON'T-… Don't talk about how my family raised me. They raised me to always keep my word. Don't lecture me, when I'm already breaking a rule my parents always taught me." Mei whispered, "I'm here because I lost a wager and repaying a debt…"

"Mei-"

"Leave Jun… I need to stay…"

"You've been reduced to being a servant girl, Mei!" Jun's voice rose.

Mei suddenly had her short sword up to the woman's neck, "If you don't keep it down I will personally rip out your vocal chords with this blade." She whispered dangerously. "… If I need your assistance, then I shall call for you. But until then, stay out of my sight. And stay out of the Roshigumi's way…"

The woman only looked at the wall, torn between what was right and what was proper, before she suddenly moved away from Mei and out the wind. Leaving Mei, only a glance of beautiful white blond hair before it disappeared.

There were no sounds, no marks. Nothing to indicate anyone had been there in her room, besides Mei herself. "… What a mess…" She whispered softly before she went to the other corner, one more illuminated from the moonlight than the others, and turned on a lap. Beginning to remove the upper portion of her clothes as she grabbed out the necessary things to patch up her back and cheek.

"Mei, can I come in?" She heard someone ask outside of her door.

Blinking in a bit of confusion of the voice, she moved her hair over her shoulder to cover up the view of her chest before saying, "Yes."

The door opened revealing Harada just outside. "Mei- I'm sorry!" Just like that, the ever-so-suave Harada had become like a teen boy as his cheeks heated up to a bright crimson. The embarrassment clear to see.

"Shut up and come inside, we don't need the whole compound to see me like this." Mei rolled her eyes a bit.

Harada scrambled inside and closed the door, but looked at the wall to his left instead of her. "I-I didn't mean- I- I didn't know you were-"

"I was gonna clean up my wound on my back. Stop being such a virgin. I never took you for one, considering the stories you tell when your drunk." Mei chuckled a bit before lifting some alcohol to sanitize the wound. "Since you're here, mind helping me anyways."

"O-Oh.. Okay…" Harada stuttered before walking over to her, the blush becoming fainter. "I just thought… You know that women were the more sensitive to these situations."

"Well I guess I threw that theory out into the wind. It's not like you barged in, and I'm hoping you didn't come here with the intention of something bad." Mei sighed as she felt the man take the alcohol then reach over for the bandages past her. He didn't respond to her, and she was met with a familiar silence. A silence that carried a heavy emotion. Pity. "It's not as bad as it looks…" She knew what he saw, and usually she would've made him leave before he saw them, but she knew now that she could trust Harada, to some extent.

"… They're thin but some of them look like they were really deep… Mei… How old are these?" Harada asked as he lifted his hand a bit and glided a few fingertips along one of the many scars on her back.

Mei was silent for a bit, contemplating something, before she spoke again, "11 years old…"

Harada froze, not even having to do the math to know how old she was when she was given those scars. "Mei..."

"Don't tell Okita…" Mei interrupted. "If he knew that man had done this, Okita would lose it…"

"You're right…" Harada sighed before pouring the alcohol on the wound and dabbing it with a cloth. Even if he agreed with her about Okita, he was not at all pleased with the evidence of abuse on her back. It, quite frankly, pissed him the hell off. And if he felt that way, he could only imagine how bad Okita would be. Harada cleaned Mei up soon enough and moved away from her. "I think you'll need to tell Okita about this at some point…"

"Why…? It's not important anymore."

"Because Okita cares, even if he doesn't show it like a normal person. All of us care… We need to know what's okay and what's not okay to do or say… If we don't we'll end up hurting you… And none of us want that…" Harada whispered before he politely excused himself and left her alone to her thoughts in the empty room.

"... It's getting worse... those urges..." Mei whispered.

* * *

**I'm sorry for the long wait, school has been hectic and I was dealing with a lot of personal issues. I was going through a rough time and I just couldn't find the motivation to write. But I reread the Reviews and some of the PM's I received regarding this Fanfiction and it helped slowly work through it enough to write the chapter. Once I get back from my school trip (I'm leaving in like 6 hours and 20 minutes to go to California) (I leave at 4 am) So thank you to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, and followed and even took the time to PM me. It means a lot. Hope the chapter wasn't a disappointment. Leave me some Reviews.**

**Sincerely,**

**Cheshire.**


	13. Osaka

The rest of the night was silent; however, Mei was called in to speak with Hijikata not too long after the initial incident…

"You would have me put a furies head on display in Osaka?" Saito asked as he and Mei sat across from Hijikata.

The black-haired man looked down for a moment before speaking. "Yes… the orders came from that commander. To compound matters, the ronin had falsely used the Roshigumi name to coerce money out of the common folk."

"Is putting his head up on display supposed to be some sort of warning?" Mei asked softly, her eyes staring into the bright purple hues of the man before her.

Hijikata sighed, "I opposed the idea, in fear we'd bring forth the masses ire if we follow through with it." The man had an almost pained look on his face as he explained himself. It was as if he was remembering the whole discussion he had with Serizawa. "This course of action… But he said a bad name beats none at all." The man looked at the two before him with almost a more pained look, "I need you to take Mei with you as well. It's come to my attention that Serizawa has been whispering about her to Nimi and others of his small court. So, to prevent anything rash possibly happening, I think it'd be safer for everyone if Mei went along with you."

Mei looked at Hijikata a bit surprised before bowing her head.

"Very well my friend…" Saito said as he and Mei slowly stood to their feet, "We shall leave for Osaka immediately. I am happy to travel with the inspectors as well." With a small bow of their heads they made their way to the door.

"I'm sorry… I always hand over the unpleasant work to you, Saito…" Hijikata smiled sadly, staring at the back of his old friend.

But Saito was quick to answer, "Not at all. Do not dwell upon it. I fully understand that such is my duty." And with that he watched Mei leave first and followed after her, closing the door behind him.

Mei did not wait for Saito and immediately went to walk to her room to dress herself. The woman wasn't surprised that Serizawa was the cause of some part of Hijikata's discomfort, though was surprised that his discomfort had also involved her well-being as well. More than anything, she hadn't expected Hijikata to give a damn. _There's no point on dwelling over it… I'll leave and come right back…_

_"What about Li!" _

Those words echoed in her mind and caused the woman to freeze up wherever she stood. She thought about her conversation with the woman named, Jun. She knew, more than anyone, her presence put the Roshigumi at risk. When she first told them her situation, it was a very generalized explanation, and she was thankful they didn't even remember the small detail about her coming to Japan with some friends. She knew it was technically lying, but how could she tell them the whole truth…? At first, they didn't even know about the Furies, about the Water of Life. Now they did, so when it first came up should she have told them what it was and its consequences that she's experienced? She is an outsider. She had no right…

But then why did she speak up that night?

**_Out of anger. You had and have every right to be angry at those monsters._**

Mei's eyes widened like saucers before she suddenly felt weak. Her body shook trying to keep her body weight up and she immediately grabbed onto a pillar to keep herself standing. There was a cold shiver down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stood up on end.

**_You have every right to hate them. Be angry with the Roshigumi for not listening. For being ignorant._**

"Shut up. These aren't my thoughts." She whispered desperately, as if trying to convince herself of the matter. Slowly she lifted a hand to her face and covered part of her face, her uncovered eye staring at the floor wide and in shock.

**_You know that isn't true. I am what you were meant to be, what your parents tried to hide from you. We're meant to kill anyone that crossed our family. _**

"Stop." Mei pleaded softly before she ran off towards her room. _It's getting stronger… Why is this happening…? _Once she closed the door behind her she felt her whole body go numb and fell to her hands and knees, crawling to what little belongings she had left by the desk. Being a semi-medium bag to hold some clothes and medicine. Reaching into the silk red bag she pulled out a small glass vile, smaller than the one that holds the Water of Life, with dark purple liquid inside it. Opening the small thing she pressed it to her lips and threw her head back a bit, downing its contents into her system. "… I have to somehow go out and get some more…" Mei whispered as she looked at the last vile of medicine she had left in her bag.

Mei walked alongside Saito silently, ignoring the two behind them. They were five hours into the trip and already she felt a bit sick again. The medicine had not lasted as long as she originally anticipated. _It used to work for 18 hours… Now it only works for 5? I need more… _Mei thought as she inconspicuously lifted her hand a bit in front of her near her stomach, and watched it shake. It wasn't so bad that the others she was with could notice, but it wouldn't be long before it became noticeable by not only them, but passersby would notice.

"Is there something the matter, Mei?"

Mei jumped a bit, pulling away from her thoughts, as she heard Saito say her name. She looked over at him from the corner of her eyes before looking ahead of them, "I'm fine… Why do you ask?" She murmured.

"You seem a bit deep in thought. Yamazaki has been calling you for some time without any response from you." Saito explained before he glanced back at the man in question.

Blinking with confusion, Mei turned to Yamazaki a bit, "What? Did you need something?"

Yamazaki cleared his throat a bit before speaking low enough for only her to hear, "If you don't mind me asking, could you tell me a little more about yourself. As it is my job to do a background check on everyone now, as is Shimada's, we would like to know about you to assure you are no threat and have no surprises for us."

Mei looked at the two, unnoticing of the fact now Saito looked at her a bit curiously, before looking ahead a bit. Slowing down her pace so she was behind Saito a bit, now walking between Saito and the inspectors. "My full name is Mei Shi, I'm 22 years old… I lived in a small village deep in the mountains with my siblings and parents. Our home was in the family for centuries… I was taught swordplay when I was young, as were my other siblings… My mother was Japanese while my father was Chinese." The information she was allowing them to know wouldn't do anyone harm, but she had to watch what she said. "My life was changed… when the man who my parents had thought was our trusted friend…. Murdered my family by his hands… Burning my home to the ground… I'm not sure how it was brought here… But an elixir for furies was also brought to China… And those furies were used to hunt down members of my family left on the grounds… and were murdered… I managed to escape… when…" Her eyes darkened. Those memories continued to replay in her head, fresh. As if it were just yesterday she had lost her family.

"Mei." Saito murmured as he set a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright if you would rather not delve into that part of your life at the moment. A traumatic event such as that would be hard for any person to remember and speak about."

"..." The woman looked over at Saito. He was beside her once more, to either hear more clearly to what was being said or for it to be easier for him to comfort her, in his own way. Mei took a breath before staring back down at the floor as they walked. "… About 10 years ago I came to Japan… I've been living off what the forest gives me, and what the red-light district workers will pay me for protection. That doesn't imply I've done what the women of Shimabara do." She wanted to make it clear she wasn't impure.

**_But you know you're not a saint. _**

Mei froze a bit, causing her three companions to stop immediately.

"Mei?" Saito asked lightly, concern in his eyes, though only barely.

**_You're nowhere near a saint, and you know that._**

Mei shook her head as a pained expression came over her face. "I'm sorry… I just… I got a headache all of a sudden… Nothing to be concerned about."

"Do you wish to rest a bit…?" Yamazaki asked, though none of them waited for her to answer and immediately offered her to sit on a bench by a tea house. "Are you sick? I have heard from the commander you do tend to overheat or get sick."

".. I'm fine…" Mei whispered unconvincingly. She looked at her hand and saw it shaking a bit more noticeable than before.

"You're shaking…" Yamazaki stated a bit surprised before he set a hand to her head. "You're a little warm. Do you think you can make the trip? I wouldn't advise you to push yourself and risk making it worse."

The woman couldn't help but frown a bit at the inspector before looking down at the ground, "Are you saying for me to go back to the compound?" Mei asked slowly looked up at the three.

"That might be the safest option…" Shimada stated.

Mei bit her lip as if she was torn on what was happening before she reluctantly nodded. "Fine… Let me just rest here for a bit then I will go back…" She murmured. She needed them to leave. They were giving her the perfect opportunity to get her medicine.

"I feel it would be safer if she were to stay at an Inn for the time being, and on our way back to the compound we'll pick her up." Saito stated, his eyes on Mei. "If she were to push herself to the point of collapse while on her travels and no one was there to help her that wouldn't be good. Okita would also be very upset with us if we let her go back all alone while she's unwell."

"…." Mei sat there in silence. She didn't care which path they chose to take with her, but in either case she would be able to get her medicine.

"I suppose that is the much safer route." Yamazaki stated before they helped her up, "Sir, please wait here while we help her into an Inn." He said as he had looked at Saito.

Saito was silent before he gently nodded, "Please make sure she will be safe before returning. I will wait here patiently, thought don't take too long. We do have a task at hand." He reminded before his eyes landed on Mei's own. They narrowed for a moment before he now sat by the base of the tree where she once sat.

Mei took notice of that small exchange before she was taken to the nearest Inn that would be the safest for her.

It had been about three or four hours since the three had left her behind in the Inn. It was comfortable and allowed her to rest. "They must've reached Osaka by now…" Mei whispered as she slowly sat up from bed and looked out the window as the sun had set and the moon was high in the sky. "Jun." She growled out in a command. "I know you're still close by. So, come here." She stated in annoyance.

Just like that, a sudden gust of wind came in through the window and Mei's eyes moved from the scene outside to the woman who was now bowing in front of her. Her long white blonde hair touched the floor as the woman's head was bowed down as well.

"Lift your head… I'm not someone you're serving anymore… I need a favor…" Mei murmured.

"What is it…" Jun whispered as she slowly lifted up her head to reveal flawless skin contrasting against the black of her clothing. She was dressed as a ninja, yet still her features made her look more like a woman of royalty than anything else. Her eyes a bright silver.

"I need more medicine… I ran out…. I drank one before leaving… the compound… And it's already wearing off, if it hasn't already." Mei said as she frowned, her eyes at the ground.

"It would be much easier if you left those men. You do not belong with them. This wasn't the plan-"

Suddenly light glinted off the blade before it was now lost in the shadows the moonlight casted as it shined in through the window. Blood now dripped a bit from a wound on Jun's cheeks. "What did I say, Jun? You've told me before. I don't want to hear any of it." Mei's eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight, glaring daggers at Jun.

The woman's eyes were wide before they narrowed, "Lan… Go retrieve the lady her medicine." Jun commanded into the darkness outside the window.

"Yes Ma'am." Came another female voice. Whether the owner of the voice actually moved or not was undetermined as there was no sound to indicate otherwise.

"Mei… Why do you insist on this? You aren't allowed to even be doing this?" Jun got to her feet.

Mei growled before doing the same, clutching her scabbard and katana in hand. "Screw the fucking rules, or the plan you're so fucking insistent on thinking exists. They're dead so the rules no longer fucking apply to me."

"What rules might you be speaking about, Mei Shi?"

The two women froze, Mei being the first one to turn towards the door to see Yamazaki standing there, Sword in hand and aimed at the both of them. His eyes were thinned with anger and contempt, and the intent to kill now filled the room, emanating off Yamazaki. Mei's eyes were wide with surprise, she almost looked pained to see him. It was because he was part of the Shinsengumi, not just some lowly rounin.

"You two will not exchange another word until the captain comes back." Yamazaki stated in a growl, "So keep silent until then."

"How dare-"

But Jun was cut off. Mei had covered her mouth, bangs covering her eyes before she slowly sat down on the floor, gripping her swords and holding them to her chest.

Jun looked at Mei surprised before a pained expression of her own overcame her features and she sat down beside Mei. Her eyes looked at the floor and glared up at Yamazaki every so often.

Mei frowned, small tears forming in her eyes. _Why… What is this feeling in my chest…? _She thought as she was silently glad that her bangs obscured her eyes from Yamazaki's view.

**_It's your anxiety. Fear. _**

This time Mei didn't flinch away from the voice in her head. This time it didn't sound malicious, it hadn't told her to do something horrible to Yamazaki. After that input, it stayed quiet. The voice in her head never had done something like that before, but Mei was more than happy it didn't say anymore. She focused on the feeling in her chest. That feeling that could only be described as pain.

A few hours had passed and Mei's fever had gotten worse. It had caused her a great deal of pain to move so she resigned herself to taking fainter breaths and not moving a muscle, almost like a statue. This wasn't good. She knew that, but she refused to speak up and tell Yamazaki. To even tell Jun how bad her illness had gotten was something she was not intending to do. The longer she sat there, the worse the feeling of being pulled from consciousness got. She knew what would happen then… _I can't …_

Suddenly the window opened a bit more than before and slowly came in another female ninja, though her hair the color of blood and her eyes the colors of the setting suns sky. Her hands were up in the air to notify Yamazaki of her surrender, "I'm simply here to give the lady her medicine. I will do everything else to cooperate. You can even watch me give her the medicine, but please. She will die otherwise."

_A bit dramatic there. _Jun and Mei couldn't help but think, smile mentally forming in their minds.

Yamazaki had fought with the new female for about 20 minutes before eventually allowing her to give Mei the medicine. He watched as the girl pulled out a vile with a dark liquid in it from a red velvet bag she had at her waist, and administered the so-called medicine to Mei—whose tense body now seemed to relax as the liquid poured down her throat. "Please allow her to rest… To allow the medicine to take affect…" She asked lightly, to which Yamazaki reluctantly agreed to.

The new woman helped Mei back beneath the covers, and smiled beneath her mask. Mei nodded to the woman before closing her eyes and holding her swords close to her person. _I'm gonna be in big trouble when I get back… Won't I…? _She couldn't help but think before the medicine had begun to make her drowsy. Already in a comfortable position, it didn't take long for Mei to fall asleep.

As she slept, the two unfamiliar women sat there on either side of Mei, facing Yamazaki. Neither of them seemed to have minded the man there pointing is sword at them, glaring at them with hatred and suspicion. Or rather, it only seemed that way.

After a few hours Jun frowned a bit at Yamazaki before finally, she snapped, "Put that damn thing away…! We aren't planning on resisting. If we did you'd already be dead."

"Shut up Jun." Lan, the other female, stated with slight irritation. "We can't say anything here… I'm assuming Mei already told you to shut up." Her eyes glared at her companion before they softened once her gaze landed on the sleeping form between them.

Jun looked at Lan with much more irritation than Lan had expressed in words, but ultimately the woman resigned herself to silence. The tension in the room didn't let up but Yamazaki, after some time, had put away his sword.

Jun and Lan stayed at the sides of Mei's futon and frowned at each other eventually, _she's going to be really upset. _They thought.

"Yamazaki, open the door please." Saito's voice came from the other side.

The women's heads turned towards the door sharply.

* * *

**Sorry that this chapter took so long! I got the new game for Hakuoki and I've been obsessed with it along with the Code: Realize game I'm really sorry. But please tell me what you think about this chapter I'm dying to know. I think I did, alright- naw I still think it sucks. Sorry. But please, if you like my shitty writing I will continue this story so favorite, follow, and review so you can keep up with the story and also let me know that you enjoyed it, hated it, and/or want me to continue. Thanks guys! Thank to those who are following, favoriting, and have reviewed this story it means a lot to me!**

**oh! and guess what-**

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**I JUST GRADUATED YESTERDAY ON THE 13 OF JUNE! IT WAS FUCKING AMAZING GUYS! I'M NOW A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE! WOOOO!**

**love,**

**Chess**


	14. Betrayal

"I told you this woman was nothing but trouble. Now she's a traitor." Serizawa growled as he looked down at Mei, Jun, and Lan who had their hands bound and on their knees in the middle of the room, all the captains and commanders surrounding them.

"We are not condemning them just yet, Serizawa. If at all possible I would like to avoid any bloodshed of the innocent." Kondou stated as he looked directly at Mei. "We are here to come to a decision as to what to do with these three. I believe Mei has been with us long enough that we can give her the courtesy to explain herself first, I'm sure she has a very logical and non-traitorous explanation for her actions." He smiled, "So let us not act in haste."

"You go too easy on them, Kondou." Serizawa frowned before fanning himself, glaring at Mei, who only glared back, "Now you don't need your hands, koinu. Speak up and explain why you've been lying to us."

Mei was on her knees a bit in front of the other two at the sides, and her eyes now drifted to the floor, "… I didn't… I haven't lied. I told you I came to Japan with friends." She stated, anxiety building up as she glanced at her swords that were in the possession of Souji Okita, sitting to her left. "… When I was captured by the Roshigumi we had separated because I had wished to go retrieve my swords alone. I had thought they were long gone and left without me once they found out I was captured." She looked at Jun, who probably had something to do with their lingering presence in Japan. "Obviously that wasn't the case; that was a mistake on my part."

"Yamazaki had stated he overheard your conversation. He said you spoke about rules and a plan. Could you elaborate on that?" Sanan asked now, watching everything the women did. Listening intently to Mei's voice.

"… My plan on coming here was to simply retrieve my swords then go hunt down Li… That was my sole purpose here… However, that is when I encountered Serizawa… An abnormality in the plan. If I know a gigantic, loud mouthed gorilla was going to be in Kyoto-" Suddenly her head shot to the side and her cheek stung intensely, burning with heat. She could already feel the bruise beginning to form on her cheek.

Serizawa looked deadly with a grin on his face, "Show some respect, pup." He growled.

Mei hid her eyes with her bangs as she spat out blood at the man's feet. "If I knew the 'oh-so-great' Serizawa was here in Kyoto, I would've gone around and entered the other side of the city." She growled as her eyes turned cold, "… The rules… Are something we use to refer to the code of my family. One of them being that we do not involve outsiders into our problems and conflicts… But I felt that since my family has been dead for quite some time that the rules no longer exist, let alone apply to me. Jun has an issue with all of you fighting Li for your own reasons or for my sake. She acts as if I asked you all to fight, when in actuality I have no say in the matter." Mei explained, glaring coldly at the Serizawa. "The only reason that these two showed up last night was because they have been tailing me." She finally said, "I had no intention of further communicating with them while I was with the Roshigumi… However," She turned her glare to Jun, "… Someone doesn't take no for a fucking answer." Then she turned to Sanan, "I had and have no intention of telling anyone anything about the Roshigumi…" Her voice was firm, and her eyes were sincere.

She seemed almost pleading to Sanan.

"Are we gonna sit here and allow this woman to feed us lies." Serizawa cut off Sanan before he could say anything. "She's obviously just trying to save herself."

"And you obviously love to hear yourself talk." Lan stated.

"What was that you-"

"Continue that sentence and I'll rip off your tongue." Mei cut him off, she was in no mood for the man's idiocy. "Sucks doesn't it that I have a voice to speak now. Back off or I'll kill you myself." She threated as she got to her feet before anyone could stop her.

"Please Mei, calm down…" Kondo said softly as she and a few of their companions had gotten to their feet.

Serizawa glared down at the woman, his eyes narrowed, but a smirk on her face. "… Your eyes always do send a shiver down my spine."

"And your existence makes me want to vomit." Mei sneered.

"Mei, for now, please allow Souji, Harada and Saito to take you all to separate rooms while we come to a decision." Kondo insisted gently as he set a hand on her shoulder.

Mei looked up at Kondo for a moment before looking down, "Alright…" She whispered before she felt someone's hand wrap around her upper arm and begin to escort her out the room. She heard several pairs of footsteps follow after her but she didn't bother looking up. She could see his green pants as they walked down the veranda.

"Surprised you haven't said a word. Feeling that guilty? If you didn't do anything wrong, I don't see why you should be feeling guilty." Okita stated as they neared a room and opened the door to her. "Get in and be a good little pup."

Mei didn't look up at him as he spoke coldly to her, instead only stayed mute as if it were the first time they met all over again, and walked towards the other end of the room and sat by the window, waiting till the door slid shut to look up at the sky. Her heart felt tight, like she could barely breathe. She couldn't bring herself to look at Okita. Nor the others besides Sanan and Kondo. Why? She didn't know herself.

She sat there for God knows how long, and she frankly didn't care. She hadn't moved from her spot; however, she grew a bit bored waiting to be told if she would be executed or not. "I suppose this'll pass the time…" She murmured before she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the frame of the window.

"I see you drifting through the veil of night, my lost young child. These torn clothes and your face is bruised and red, what's happened child? Did you say your parents were kidnapped? No child, your parents can't be dead! My little lotus flower, crying in the dark."

Mei sang. It was something that would never occur to anyone that she could sing, and to sound so heavenly. Though the lyrics were sad, it was so beautiful.

"Lotus flower, you've been starving in the streets, it breaks my heart. Lotus flower, how can a child they beat, it breaks my heart. Child, I will take you in. Child, I will bring you home. And bring happiness back to you, no more you will suffer alone. Child, we will take you in. Child, we will bring you home. You'll be a flower that sees the spring. Soon a dove flying over the storm."

In the other rooms, Lan and Jun frowned. It had been so long since they last heard their young lady, their friend, speak, let alone sing. And for her to sing such a sad song made their hearts ache for her. It reminded them of the years where none of them would've thought they could carry such hatred and sorrow in their hearts.

"My young child, you scream each night fearing the monsters will come take your grandma, just like they broke down your door and took your mom. My little lotus flower, crying in the dark. Child, I will take you in. Child, I will bring you home. And bring happiness back to you, no more you will suffer alone. Child, we will take you in. Child, we will bring you home. You'll be a flower that sees the spring. Soon a dove flying over the storm."

Mei frowned at the end of the song, her eyes still on the sky as the many colors of the evening painted a lovely painting of purple, orange, yellow and blue. "Flowers… Born from Sin… The gentle… Beauties that bring misfortune on those around them… Their existence inviting evil… They live in peace... Even if their very existence is Sin…" She stated softly, watching as the many surreal colors in the sky began to fade to a chilling yet beautiful blue, "S-I-N… As in conceived, born in, and am currently living happily in…" She closed her eyes as she listened to the worlds white noise to lull her to sleep. "The Shi family… Flowers from sin… The odd family… The outcasts… The unwanted… The frightening… The powerful… The beautiful…"

_~Dream~_

"_Why do you say that mama?" Asked the same 9-year-old girl. _

"_Because we are different from most of the other families…" Her mother said as she gently picked the girl up and set her in her lap, beginning to brush her hair with a comb. "We are… Flowers born from sins… From the bloodshed of others… That bring sorrow and horror to others they touch… We bloom in silence… In beauty… In dignity." Her mother spoke softly, "We are born pitifully… Yet gifted with many talents… It's unfair to the other families… They are frightened of us…"_

_Mei glanced up at her mother, "Is that why we live in this small village? Because the other people are afraid of us? Is that why we're so far and deep into the mountains mama? Is that why we hide?"_

_Her mother gave her a melancholic smile, "My dear child asks many questions…" She gently kissed the girls head, "Yes… We hide because we are frightening… The village is our home… People here are not frightened by us… and in turn our family protects them…"_

"_I like this village… They're all so nice to me and the others…! ~" The small child spoke happily, smiling adorably at her mother. _

"_My lovely, adorable child… I wish you can grow up to live happily… To live out your days without worry… To find love… To find peace…" The woman started before she gently began to cradle the young girl in her arms, "To have a family of your own… To never have to lift a sword with the intent to kill… To never have to see the horrors of death and war…" She whispered before kissing the girl's head. "That is my one and only wish for you, Mei…" _

_/_

"_Mei! Don't touch my little girl!" She heard her mother scream, but when she turned she couldn't see past the fire that licked her skin. The heat only grew more intense as if controlled by the desperate tone In her mother's voice. "MEI RUN!"_

"_MAMA!" The girl screamed in sorrow as tears ran down her face. She smelled blood… Her home was drenched in crimson, reeking of the coppery stench. "MAMA!"_

"_MEI RUN!" Now it was her father's voice. The next thing that came out of his mouth dripped with agony and sorrow, Mei knew what happened. "KIKU!" Her mother's name left his lips._

_Mei had no choice but to run as she faintly heard her mother past all the noise, after another thud in her mother's direction, "… YU…!" Now it was her father's name._

_Mei heard her parent's last words before she left, frightened._

"_Hello there, Mei,~ Where are you going?" _

_Something grabbed her hair tightly and suddenly threw the child to the floor._

_~Dream End~_

Mei sprang with a start, crying out softly in pain. In her panic, she somehow broke the binds holding her hands together and reached for her throat. She couldn't breathe, the air had somehow been knocked out of her. Tears fell down her cheeks as those memories, her parent's cries, were burned so clearly into her mind. What was worse was that she didn't have her swords to comfort her in the least. She was there… Alone. In a room without anyone else.

**Kill them…**

"No…" Mei whimpered before she immediately moved from the window and to the darkest corner of the room. She pulled her knees up to her chest, holding them there tightly with her arms wrapped around them. She pressed her forehead to her knees and shut her eyes tightly.

**Kill them… And you will be free of all your pain… **

Mei whimpered again, covering her ears as if it would block out the voice inside her head.

**Let me kill them for you…**

She trembled, horribly so, like a frightened child. "Kill me… Someone…" Her voice sounded hoarse, and broken. She begged and pleaded for someone to kill her for so long in the very depths of her stone-cold heart—she no longer wanted to live if it meant she had to continue to remember such painful memories. To have these voices in her head telling her to do awful things. If living meant she'd put those she'd cared about at risk, she'd rather be put under six feet of dirt and never see the beautiful moon and bright sun again.

After a while in silence, Mei set a hand on her throat—_it's dry, _she thought, _when was the last time I drank something? _And now her stomach growled, _when was the last time I ate something… Whose turn was it to cook dinner? Mine? Or Okita's? Or maybe it was Saito's… Harada cooked yesterday… _

**Thinking like that as if they'll treat you the same is meaningless. It'll only hurt you more in the end when they betray you.**

Mei froze and pressed her forehead to the wall beside her as her legs moved frown her chest to the floor to the side. _I don't… want to hurt anyone… _She closed her eyes. She looked a bit defeated, as if she had given up.

**So, you'd rather be betrayed?**

"No… I…" Mei shut her eyes tightly. "I don't want… to hurt them…"

**If you won't kill them… I will. Save yourself the heartache. You're worthless to them, Mei. Kill everyone here… Especially the two responsible for your current situation.**

Mei tensed. "Who-"

**Lan and Jun. If it weren't for them pushing their opinions and shit onto you, then you'd happily be making dinner right now.**

"But… My swords… Even if I wanted to… I couldn't…" Mei whispered before she covered her ears again. "Go away…" She whimpered as she couldn't help but wish for someone to help her. Anyone. To rid of the voice inside her head, she'd do nearly anything. "Someone just kill me."

"I'll give you a hand with that…!~"

Her eyes widened as the voice registered in her mind. It was as if in that moment time slowed. She watched as slowly a figure came in through the window, the thirst for blood—her blood, dripping off the figure like an unending fountain. Their sword at their side, drawn and ready to cut her down as it was slowly being raised over the owner's head.

"Mei!"

_That was Jun and Lan… _Mei thought as she willed her body to move. She felt the hatred she had nurtured for years slowly overflowing off her form. She pushed herself away from the corner and nearer to the door and out of the range of the katana that would've cut her straight down the middle. She pushed herself off the floor, slowly raising to her feet as she felt all her anger bringing her out of her moment of weakness.

**That's it, Mei… Cut down everyone that caused you harm; anyone that stands in your way. Let your anger control you…**

Mei felt an almost animalistic, guttural, growl leave her throat as her pupils contracted into slits and eyes narrowed on the figures form. "Li…" She hissed as he body tensed with anger. She saw the man's smirk as he set the sword on his shoulder. Behind him his men held Lan and Jun captive.

"I was only trying to help you, Mei~ You asked for mercy and I was willing to give you just that at no charge." Li grinned as he glanced at the two behind him held by his men. "I haven't seen your servants in forever, I was sure they had gotten killed." He cooed.

"You were mistaken. They were deserters." Mei spoke, venom dripping off her words.

"Shame. I suppose you hate them just as much as you hate me." The man frowned before he made the men drop the women with a flick of his wrist.

Once Mei heard the thud of their bodies hit the floor she charged at Li at a superhuman speed, aiming to kick the man's head, but before she could she was caused to dodge a swing from his sword, which gave him an opening. He swung on his heel and kicked Mei dead center and with such force to push her through the doors and into the outside courtyard.

"Come on Mei! You can do better than that~"

"Mei!"

… _Who was that this time? Who called out to me? _

"Without your swords, Mei, you are weak. Not even worth my full strength. Such a pathetic sight you've turned out to be. Such a pathetic display of the Shi family."

**Kill.**

Mei moved on instinct now, rushing at the man again and kicking him in the jaw before attempting to reach for his short sword. When she had barely grazed the handle, she had dodged another swing of his sword before kicking the man in the chest and landing on her feet a bit away and near the wall. Her eyes remained on Shi, as if the world around her was just a blur.

"MEI!"

_Who keeps calling out to me?... It isn't those two… So… Who?_

**Kill. Kill him now. Let your anger control you.**

Mei allowed herself to give in to that voice, allowed her anger to drive her and nothing else. She rushed at Li once again, aiming to hit his feet before kicked the flat of his blade that would've cut her shoulder, away from her and grabbed his sword instead.

"Show everyone who you really are, girl." Li grinned as he resumed a fighting stand. "Having fun, aren't you?"

The woman simply rushed at him as many times before aiming to hit his stomach now, dodging a swing of his sword before kneeing him in the stomach and jumped a bit into the air to kick him in his jaw. A grin crept its way onto her lips as she looked at the blood that fell from the man's lips. Her movements were instinctual but were graceful and with conviction. She moved beautifully yet with deadly intent. "I'll see your blood splattered on this grass, you bastard!" She laughed before she dodged one of his attacks. She looked like a demon herself as she seemed to take pleasure in the sight of her opponent's blood, in fighting with the risk of her own life.

"You're taking too much pleasure in the fight, Mei~ You are losing sight of your surroundings." Li grinned madly now as well as Mei suddenly felt a kick to her side and she flew into the nearby tree.

The woman let out a gasp of pain as now she had blood spill past her lips once she fell to the floor with a thud. She forced one of her eyes to open to look up at who had kicked her, that's when she saw one of the two men Li had brought with him before. She had forgotten there were more. She had been so focused on Li she had completely forgotten about the two extras. Speaking of, she couldn't see the other one in sight. "Where-"

"MEI BEHIND YOU!"

Mei pushed herself from the ground in seconds and moved away from the tree before she heard the sound of two swords clashing. "What the-" She quickly turned her head towards the sound and saw Saito had blocked the missing lacky's attack. Hearing the sounds of battle behind her again she turned to see Harada had begun to fight against the man who had kicked her before. Her eyes widened as she saw the two begin fighting with her enemies, the anger slowly being pushed away by surprise and confusion.

"Don't take your eyes off me, Shi!"

The sound of the man she so hated brought her from her moment of shock, much too late and she didn't have enough time to block let alone dodge. She shut her eyes as she waited for the strike to hit her, only to hear more swords clashing in front of her.

"I don't think so, buddy."

Mei's eyes shot open at the sound of that voice—his voice. "Okita…!"

"I recommend you don't touch my page, if you value your life. Haven't I already told you that?" Okita grinned at the man in front of him.

"…_You'll have us to watch your back. Okita especially." _

"Get out of my way!" Li growled in irritation as he swung his sword again.

"That isn't gonna happen, your fight is with me now. Who fights a girl, let alone an unarmed one? Is it because you think you can't beat her with both her swords or do you just because you **Know **you can't." Okita said as he blocked the attack and held Mei a bit behind him, protectively as the others soon joined the fight. Hijikata and Kondou had gathered on two other sides of Li, Heisuke and Sanan went to help Saito while Shinpachi went to assist Harada.

Li growled in anger as he was now pushed back by attacks from three opponents, all very skilled swordsmen. He watched as his comrades were eventually cut down by the other Roshigumi members and made their way to him.

"You've already lost, bastard." Okita cooed as he made to slash down the man's front, only for him to miss.

"Next time I won't be beaten so easily." Li vowed before he ran off into the room Mei was originally held and then jumped out that window, disappearing into the night.

Mei felt some sort of weight lifted off her as the night gradually calmed. The woman felt a sense of relief, if only just a tiny bit for just a few seconds, before she looked at all of the men around her. _Were they the ones calling out to me?... It must've been them... _She thought softly, feeling something warm in her chest. "Why... Why did you help me?" She whispered as she turned her gaze to the ground. "If you all thought I was a traitor..." The way she said that however, **"you" **was emphasized, and directed to a certain swordsman in front of her. "Why help me?"

The question lingered in the air for a few, long moments that seemed like years to Mei, before someone broke the silence, "Because we promised."

Mei turned toward Harada with a wide eyed look of surprise.

"We told you we'd have your back for when that creep came back." Heisuke chimed in with a smile. "We could never believe you would betray us."

"We came here to tell you that." Shinpachi added. "The only reason we took so damn long was because of a certain bull headed man." Serizawa, most likely the culprit.

"An almost equally bull headed demon was relentless in trying to win the argument that you were innocent." Sanan smiled as he glanced to his purple eyed friend.

"We would've jumped in sooner, but you seemed to be in a sort of frenzy, so we decided to stay back till you absolutely needed us. Otherwise we felt we would've gotten in your way." Kondou smiled as he sheathed his sword.

Mei turned to all the men as they spoke, slowly but surely however, everyone turned to Okita who stood in front of the woman. He sheathed his sword as everyone grew quiet. "..." Mei didn't dare to say anything, waiting for him to say something.

"I told you... No one does something like that to my page and gets away with it... Again, I also didn't like the look he gives me." Okita stated as he turned to his page. "Don't look so surprised. Did you really doubt us?" The look of feigned hurt crossed the mans features as he gazed down at the woman he had just protected.

"... You're insane..." Mei whispered as she felt tears begin forming in her eyes. Because of that she bit her lip and looked at the ground. She felt truly lucky to have friends like them.

"... Mei are you alright?!" Came the two servants from the room Li had escaped through.

The woman couldn't stop the small laugh that left her as she wiped away her tears and suddenly felt the arms of both women wrap around her form. "I'm alright..." She whispered softly, as she wrapped her arms around them as well.

* * *

**Hello! Thank you for waiting! Here's the new chapter~ It's a lot longer than the last few so I do hope you enjoy it. Please tell me if you do or don't in the reviews! Tell me what you like about it, hate about it, or whatever you want. Favorite and follow if you haven't already! And if you have thank so much I really do appreciate it and get giddy whenever I see any of my fanfictions get any sort of recognition and praise from my emails.  
**

**By the way the song Mei sings is not my own, however I forgot the songs name and such! If you have any idea what is is please PM me it or post it in the reviews. I REPEAT THE SONG IS NOT MY OWN. I DON'T HAVE RIGHTS TO IT.**

**Thanks for taking the time to read my fanfictions and I hope you all continue to enjoy it and read it as much as I do~**

**Love always,  
Cheshire.**


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